New Delhi: The Karnataka Hijab row has created a huge political storm in the country and leaders have been making aggressive comments adding fuel to the debate. Recently, Congress leader Ajoy Kumar took a dig at Union Minister Nitin Gadkari targetting Khaki shorts worn by RSS workers.
Ajoy Kumar said that it looks obscene when Nitin Gadkari wears khaki half pants, mentioning an old photograph of the Union Minister.
Kumar, the AICC observer for Tripura, said it looks odd when "old and fat" leaders of RSS wear half pants, according to a PTI report.
"I am not saying it casually but look at an old photograph of Nitin Gadkari wearing a khaki half pant, it looks obscene. It looks odd when you see the old and fat RSS people in khaki half pants," he said, addressing a press conference at the Congress Bhavan on Sunday.
Reiterating Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's stand that girls can wear whatever they want, the Congress leader asserted everyone should have that kind of freedom.
Further commenting on the Hijab controversy, the Congress leader said, "Every rule is only for girls. The khaki half pant (RSS uniform) that Gadkari Ji wears should also be banned because that is also obscene. But we don't ask Gadkari Ji not to wear it."
Sharply criticising the RSS, he said there must be freedom for all in the country -- from choosing life partners to clothes and food habits.
"One can't impose Gujarati culture in Tripura and Tripura's food habits in Gujarat," he said.
It is pertinent to note that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or RSS had changed their uniform in 2016 and changed their traditional Khaki shorts attire to trousers.
Karnataka has been witnessing a huge uproar over the wearing of hijabs by students in schools and colleges. The protests began in the southern state in January this year when a group of students of a college in the Udupi district alleged that they had been barred from attending classes.
Asserting their right to exercise religious freedom, many students protested.
The matter has reached the Karnataka High Court which has restrained the students from wearing hijab to schools and colleges till the time the court announces the final verdict.