‘Saffron’ row in Congress : Ashraf takes on Poojari

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, January 14, 2013: “What is wrong if a Congressman wears saffron clothes?” This was how former mayor K Ashraf chose to question  the act of senior Congress  leader B Janardhan Poojari  in taking exception  to the donning of saffron  attire by  Vijaynath Vittal Shetty who recently  joined the party.

It may be recalled here that during the recent 150th birth anniversary programme of Swami Vivekananda organised by the Congress, Janardhan Poojari had criticized Shetty for wearing saffron clothes and had said he (Shetty ) should have donned white khadi clothes instead by keeping aside khavi(Saffron).

In his statement, Ashraf has said saffron was a colour in the Indian national flag and even felt that such attitude by Congress leaders had landed Hindu votes in the BJP pockets. Ashraf further took a dig at his own party men by stating ‘ Congress had lost Hindu votes as several of its  Hindu leaders refrained  from observing Hindu rituals in public.”

“No one becomes anti-minority just be wearing saffron clothes. Wearing saffron does not mean that one is associated with a particular organization or party,” Ashraf said.