Revenue Minister R. Ashok said in Mangaluru on February 19 that the Congress should clear state its stand on the ongoing row over dress code in educational institutions.
Speaking to mediapersons on the sidelines of launching a special drive to clear over 82,000 pending files in 45 government offices in Dakshina Kannada district, the Minister said that the Congress is not vocal on some students wearing hijab and saffron shawls in colleges.
“Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Siddaramaiah is not allowing the Congress to say that the party is pro-Hindu. At the same time, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president D. K. Shivakumar is not allowing his party to say that it favours allowing hijab in classrooms. The Congress fears that it will lose votes if it speaks for or against the matter,” the Minister said.
“It is a fight between the two leaders. Instead of speaking on the dress code in the Assembly, the Congress is protesting against a statement of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister K. S. Eshwarappa,” he said.
Mr. Ashok said that the opposition should have discussed the dress code issue thoroughly in the ongoing Assembly session. “But it is wasting taxpayers’ money by protesting over a Minister’s statement. The government is spending over ₹1 crore per day for conducting the session of the Legislative Assembly and the Council. The Congress is cheating people by not speaking on the burning issue. The Congress is showing disrespect to both Houses of the legislature,” the Revenue Minister said.
He said that schools and colleges are not meant for propagating any religion. They are meant for imparting education.
