<p>The Congress has dubbed the Muslims’ convention organised by the JD(S) on Sunday a political gimmick, aimed at luring the voters of the community ahead of next year’s Assembly elections. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Addressing a joint press conference in Bangalore on Monday, Congress legislators Roshan Baig, N A Haris and Naseer Ahmed said the JD(S) was hijacking the contributions made by the Congress for the welfare of the minorities, by trying to make them seem like its own.<br /><br />They said the four per cent reservation for Muslims was introduced during Veerappa Moily’s tenure as chief minister and not during the JD(S) rule, as claimed by former prime minister Deve Gowda.<br /><br />Baig said Sunday’s convention was nothing but a farce as the JD(S) leaders had failed to highlight the Uppinangady issue, where a college had ordered a blanket ban on students wearing ‘hijab’ to class.<br /><br />He said by not even raising the matter, which had taken a serious turn, the JD(S) leaders had shown that they were not really fighting for the cause of the minorities.<br /><br />Baig said the minority community leaders of his party would meet Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar on Tuesday and appeal to him to ask the education department to ensure the ban is lifted. <br /></p>
<p>The Congress has dubbed the Muslims’ convention organised by the JD(S) on Sunday a political gimmick, aimed at luring the voters of the community ahead of next year’s Assembly elections. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Addressing a joint press conference in Bangalore on Monday, Congress legislators Roshan Baig, N A Haris and Naseer Ahmed said the JD(S) was hijacking the contributions made by the Congress for the welfare of the minorities, by trying to make them seem like its own.<br /><br />They said the four per cent reservation for Muslims was introduced during Veerappa Moily’s tenure as chief minister and not during the JD(S) rule, as claimed by former prime minister Deve Gowda.<br /><br />Baig said Sunday’s convention was nothing but a farce as the JD(S) leaders had failed to highlight the Uppinangady issue, where a college had ordered a blanket ban on students wearing ‘hijab’ to class.<br /><br />He said by not even raising the matter, which had taken a serious turn, the JD(S) leaders had shown that they were not really fighting for the cause of the minorities.<br /><br />Baig said the minority community leaders of his party would meet Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar on Tuesday and appeal to him to ask the education department to ensure the ban is lifted. <br /></p>
