Collective urges action against right-wing activist for harassment of migrant workers in Bengaluru

The Campaign Against Hate Speech collective has appealed to the Director General of Police, Karnataka, to take action against right-wing activist and cow vigilantePuneeth Kerehalli for allegedly intimidating migrant workers, entering their houses and interrogating them about their nationality.

“We write to draw your urgent attention to deeply troubling conduct by Puneeth Kerehalli, a person currently facing murder charge and who is out on bail, who has been repeatedly entering migrant workers’ dwellings and sheds, interrogating them about their nationality, and demanding identity documents while threatening and intimidating them. These actions are illegal, undermine the dignity and safety of workers, and risk provoking mob violence,” reads a letter submitted by the collective to the DGP.

According to the letter, in a video uploaded by Mr. Kerehalli on his YouTube channel on January 14, he is seen calling some persons ‘illegal migrants’ and intimidating them, demanding that they disclose their citizenship, taking videos without their consent, and demanding Aadhaar cards of people without any authorisation.

“Any undocumented migration is to be acted upon by the MHA, FRRO and State authorities. As such, private citizens such as Puneeth Kerehalli have no right to unlawfully enter the homes of people, harass and intimidate them,” states the letter.

The collective further accuses Mr. Kerehalli of attempting to communalise the issue and points out that there is a well-documented pattern of migrant workers being brutally attacked or lynched on suspicion of being ‘Bangladeshi’.