MYSURU: Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah on Friday created a controversy while defending Muslim girls wearing hijab, saying Hindu women and swamijis too cover their heads. Siddaramaiah’s reference to seers while talking about the hijab row was criticised by saffron party leaders and other organisations, who said he is trying to appease the minorities, and wanted an apology from him.
Siddaramaiah said, “What is wrong in Muslim girls wearing hijab? Don’t Hindu girls cover their heads? Swamijis too put a cloth over their heads. Do you question them?” He said that BJP tried to stoke a controversy with the hijab issue, but people are smart and understood its hidden agenda.
He alleged that the compensation given to families of deceased Hindu activists is more compared to Mulsim victims. “For the BJP, the discrimination and disparity is to build their Hindu vote bank. The party is also raking up controversial issues to polarise votes. But their calculations will fail as people have understood their design,” he added.
“Even among Hindus there is discrimination. While the government paid Rs 25 lakh to the family of Harsha, who was killed in Shivamogga, the same magnanimity was not shown to the family of Dinesh, who was murdered in coastal areas,” he added.
On banning Muslim vendors from putting up stalls at Hindu jatras, Siddaramaiah said it unravels the hidden agenda of BJP. Siddaramaiah took exception to Speaker Vishveshwara Hegde Kageri identifying himself with RSS, saying he should remain apolitical when he is occupying the chair of Speaker. Demanding a criminal case against Renukacharya’s daughter for availing SC certificate, while being from the Jangama community, Siddaramaiah criticised the government for defending Renukacharya.