Congress leaders to meet Rahul Gandhi on Friday, may discuss hijab row

In this background, the party’s central leadership has invited the state leaders for a discussion in New Delhi on Friday.
Congress Legislature Party leader and former CM Siddaramaiah addresses a training workshop for legislators in Bengaluru on Thursday (Photo| EPS, Nagaraja Gadekal)
Congress Legislature Party leader and former CM Siddaramaiah addresses a training workshop for legislators in Bengaluru on Thursday (Photo| EPS, Nagaraja Gadekal)

BENGALURU: Congress is in a fix over raising the hijab row in the Assembly and Council though it is raging across the state, while its members are aggressively demanding the resignation of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) Minister KS Eshwarappa for his remarks over hoisting a saffron flag at the Red Fort.

In this background, the party’s central leadership has invited the state leaders for a discussion in New Delhi on Friday. Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is meeting state leaders, including KPCC president DK Shivakumar, Opposition Leaders in Assembly Siddaramaiah and Council BK Hariprasad and state Congress working presidents, ostensibly to discuss the blueprint for the 2023 Assembly elections. But party sources said the hijab issue and the party’s stand on the raging controversy will also be discussed.

‘Congress should take firm stand on dress code controversy’

While Siddaramaiah and MLAs from the minority community have taken a firm stand and hit out at the government over its handling of the hijab row, most other senior leaders are hesitant to come out openly in support of the minority community as they fear a backlash from majority community voters during the Assembly polls, the sources added.

The party’s minority community MLAs met Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and Primary Education Minister BC Nagesh and asked them to implement the Karnataka High Court interim order fairly and not to impose a blanket ban on hijab.

The issue, however, has not been raised on the floor of the Assembly and Council. Justifying the party’s stand, a legislator from the minority community, who was part of the delegation that met the chief minister, said the party needs to handle the issue with caution as some elements are waiting to take advantage of it.

But sources said that instead of being silent, the party should take a firm stand on such issues. “It is not just about Muslims, other communities too are watching us to see how we can protect them in times of crisis. Such issues are likely to come up ahead of elections and we should take a clear stand,” they added.

Shivakumar had been called for a similar meeting soon after he took over as state Congress president. But he had sought time then, and later, only he and Siddaramaiah had gone to meet leaders in Delhi.

“Now, the meeting will include a number of other senior leaders and their opinion will be sought on various issues as there is not much time ahead of the Assembly elections. Besides, we have to explain our plan of action to our legislators, train them and decide who will take up what issues,” Shivakumar said. “The BJP is trying to divide the country and the economy is in a bad shape."

Our central leaders have prepared a report to show how officers are being misused during elections,” he said, adding that around 10-15 leaders from the state have been called for the meeting to discuss all those issues.

Siddaramaiah told reporters on Sunday, “They have called us to discuss preparations for the 2023 elections. ” On the hijab row, he said that the government should not stop people from practicing customs. Rahul Gandhi is likely to hold more such meetings ahead of the polls, the party sources said.

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