1991 anti-Tamil violence in Karnataka

Background

As of 2001, Tamil-speakers formed 3.82% of the total population of Karnataka. Tamil-speaking people are found in the districts of Bengaluru Urban, Bangalore Rural, Ramanagara, Mysore, Kolar, Hassan, few in Mandya and Chamarajanagar in southern Karnataka, and few in Shimoga in central Karnataka.

While the Bangalore Cantonment area administered directly by the Government of British India prior to its integration with the then Mysore state, had a sizable Tamil-speaking populations. The migrants occupied extremely diverse positions in the socioeconomic strata and represented every class, caste and community in Tamil Nadu. Gradually, this demographic and bureaucratic domination began to be resented by Kannada people who felt that the immigrant Tamils were snatching away their rightful jobs.

Events

On 25 June 1991, the Kaveri Water Tribunal, constituted in 1990, directed the Karnataka state government to release 5.8 km3 of water to Tamil Nadu within a year. Karnataka issued an ordinance to annul the tribunal's award but this was struck down by the Supreme Court of India. The tribunal's award was subsequently gazetted by the Government of India on 11 December 1991.

The very next day, pro-Kannada organisations led by Vatal Nagaraj called for a bandh on 13 December alleging partisan behaviour of the Government of India. He declared that,

The next day, marauding mobs roamed the streets of Bengaluru. Tamil businesses, movie theatres and even vehicles with Tamil Nadu license plates were targeted, soon the riots spread to the Mysuru district and other parts of southern Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Entire slums of migrants were torched, Over a thousand Tamils fled from Karnataka, A curfew of one week was declared under section 144. The violence left more than sixteen people dead in Bengaluru city.

The Indian Human Rights Tribunal puts the total property losses suffered in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka at 17 crores while the Venkatesh Commission has given estimates varying from 3 crores to 15 crores.

Aftermath

The situation was soon brought under control and though, there were incidents of violence reported till the end of 1991, the situation had calmed down.

There have been similar incidents of violence in 1996, 2000, 2004 and 2016.

Notes

References

References

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2. "Tamils Are Target of Riots in Southern India (Published 1992)".
3. [[#Nair. Nair]], p 259
4. Rai, Saritha. (June 27, 2013). "Slammed for instigating anti-Tamil violence, Karnataka CM Bangarappa's fate hangs in balance".
5. (1996-01-31). "Supreme Court prods PM into diffusing Tamil Nadu-Karnataka conflict over Cauvery waters".
6. (2007-02-05). "India river dispute ruling issued".
7. A. R. Fatihi. "Urdu in Karnataka". M. S. Thirumalai, Managing Editor, Language in India.
8. Vagale, Uday Kumar. (2004). "Bangalore—future trends in public open space usage. Case study: Mahatma Gandhi Road, Bangalore". [[Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University]].
9. (2018-04-09). "Cauvery dispute: Two agreements under British rule and all that followed".
10. "Supreme Court prods PM into diffusing Tamil Nadu-Karnataka conflict over Cauvery waters".
11. [[#Nair. Nair]], pp 259 - 262
12. [[#Nair. Nair]], p 235
13. "Slammed for instigating anti-Tamil violence, Karnataka CM Bangarappa's fate hangs in balance".
14. (1996). "The nation, the state, and Indian identity". Popular Prakashan.
15. (2016-09-09). "Karnataka Bandh: How and when the bitter Cauvery river conflict between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu arose".
16. Sanjoy Hazarika. (5 January 1992). "Tamils are target of riots in Southern India". [[The New York Times]].
17. (2007-02-05). "India river dispute ruling issued".
18. "Supreme Court prods PM into diffusing Tamil Nadu-Karnataka conflict over Cauvery waters".
19. [[#Nair. Nair]], pp 234 - 235