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Will protect minorities from atrocities: Cong
The Bommai government had promulgated an ordinance to enact the anti-conversion law that the Christian community has condemned.
The Congress on Friday resolved to stand by minority communities against “cultural terrorism and atrocities” waged by the BJP and its right-wing affiliates in Karnataka and other places of the country.
“The party will fight against cultural atrocities and cultural terror. False complaints and cases against Muslims and Christians are being filed. We condemn this and stand firmly with them. We will provide protection to everybody,” Siddaramaiah, the leader of Opposition, said on Friday.
He was speaking after the two-day Nava Sankalp Shibir, an event to devise strategies for upcoming elections like Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP, the city’s civic body), zilla and taluka panchayat and the 2023 assembly elections in which the Congress hopes to bring the Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP down and instate its own government.
The resolution comes at a time when the Congress is accused of using minorities only as vote banks to further its own political ambitions but not caring for the community.
Under the Bommai-led administration, activists allege that there have been increasing incidents of Muslims being systematically targeted over issues like halal, hijab, azaan and restricting members of the community from taking part in temple fairs and festivals.
The Bommai government had promulgated an ordinance to enact the anti-conversion law that the Christian community has condemned.
The Congress, which did not seem resolute to take a stand in the hijab row, were accused of not taking the side of minorities, its biggest support base, in the fear that it might lose out on the Hindu votes in the upcoming elections.
The Congress also resolved to reserve 50% of all tickets in the upcoming rural and urban local body polls for persons below the age of 50, in the hope to win over youngsters.
“We have resolved to field 50% of seats for candidates below 50 in the coming BBMP, Zilla and taluka panchayat elections in the lines of the decision made by the All India Congress Committee (AICC),” said DK Shivakumar, the state Congress president.
He said 33% of all seats will be given to women as well as reservation for members of all communities to give equitable representation.
The BJP denied any atrocities on minorities in the country. Shobha Karandlaje, union minister of state for agriculture and farmers’ welfare, on Friday said: “There have been no atrocities on minorities in India. In the eight years, under Narendra Modi there have been no communal riots. A few small incidents that have taken place are because of private struggles.”
