Recent months saw political battles between the Centre and oppositions surrounding topics like communal violence, Gyanvapi Masjid controversy, and inflation, but a new row has erupted between Congress and BJP recently – a controversy surrounding the burning of ‘chaddis’.
A political fight in Karnataka erupted two days ago when several members of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), which is the student wing of the Congress party, decided to burn a pair of khaki shorts or ‘chaddi’ outside the residence of state education minister BC Nagesh.
The burning of the underwear by NSUI was a form of protest against the “saffronisation” of textbooks in Karnataka, which triggered a row between the ruling BJP and opposition party Congress in the state. The students burnt a pair of khaki shorts, which are associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
After the attacks by NSUI leaders and Congress workers against the school syllabus in Karnataka, showing alleged saffronisation of books, the BJP launched its own strategy.
To counter the opposition Congress’s move to burn khaki shorts worn by RSS workers, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh workers have started collecting shorts and knickers from houses and sending them to Congress headquarters in Bengaluru to be given to opposition leader Siddaramaiah.
Earlier, Siddaramaiah said that not just outside the house of BC Nagesh, the Congress party will be burning khaki shorts and running the ‘chaddi’ campaign across Karnataka. Countering this move, RSS workers decided to parcel a box of khaki shorts to the Congress leader.
The RSS workers claimed that the opposition leader won’t be able to burn the huge number of khaki shorts that will be sent to him. The workers went door to door in the villages and collected used shorts and knickers.
Hundreds of shorts were packed and parceled to the Karnataka Congress office, leading to a political row. This controversy was initially triggered during the protests held by NSUI, during which 15 persons were arrested by the police.
According to sources, the ‘chaddi’ campaign is being taken up by RSS workers and supporters all over the state, which can lead to the deepening of this conflict.
(With IANS inputs)
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