Union minister Pralhad Joshi on Tuesday took a swipe at the Congress's shrinking base while speaking about the ongoing ‘chaddi’ row in Karnataka.
The ‘chaddi’ (a Hindi term for underwear) row began after some members of the National Students' Union of India (NSUI) – the youth wing of the Congress – burnt a pair of khaki shorts outside Karnataka education minister BC Nagesh's residence to protest the alleged "saffronisation" of school textbooks in the state. The khaki shorts are worn by members of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the BJP’s parent organisation.
Joshi said the Congress was indulging in such acts as they have been stripped off their own garments in most states. "Because people have stripped their chaddis, they are now burning RSS chaddi," the Union minister said in Vijaypur.
He added, "In Uttar Pradesh, people have taken off their chaddis in front of the entire country. They have been also stripped off in Assam and Madhya Pradesh and now their ‘chaddis’ have loosened in Rajasthan where the party is facing infighting between Sachin Pilot and others. In Chhattisgarh too, it is loosened. They have lost their chaddi everywhere."
Earlier in the day, former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah attacked the RSS and asked why the post of Sarsanghchalak – highest in the organisation, currently held by Mohan Bhagwat – has never been occupied by a Dalit or a person from Other Backward Castes (OBCs).
"I am telling you from the beginning that the RSS is a non-secular organisation. Has a Dalit, OBC, or a member from minority communities ever become Sarsanghchalak? What else can ‘chaddis’ do? They do ‘chaddi’ work only, chaddis do chaddi work (loosley meaning petty people will do petty work only)," Siddramaiah was quoted as saying in Hubli.
{{/usCountry}}"I am telling you from the beginning that the RSS is a non-secular organisation. Has a Dalit, OBC, or a member from minority communities ever become Sarsanghchalak? What else can ‘chaddis’ do? They do ‘chaddi’ work only, chaddis do chaddi work (loosley meaning petty people will do petty work only)," Siddramaiah was quoted as saying in Hubli.
{{/usCountry}}Siddaramaiah made the remarks in response to a question about RSS workers collecting knickers to send them to the Congress office. RSS workers in Mandya district have collected shorts to send to the Congress office as a mark of protest against Siddaramaiah's remarks against RSS Khaki shorts.
On Sunday, Siddaramaiah, who is the Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Assembly, had said that 'chaddis' would be burnt as a sign of protest against the RSS for the alleged "saffronisation" of school textbooks in the state.
(With ANI inputs)