Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India]: A group of farmers, along with a pro-Kannada organization, protested in front of a mall in Bengaluru on Wednesday after an elderly man was allegedly denied entry to the mall because he was wearing a ‘dhoti.’
The incident reportedly occurred at GT World Mall on Tuesday evening.
“A farmer had arrived here, wearing a ‘dhoti’, but the security guard didn’t let him inside. So, we are protesting here,” a protester told media.
Bharatiya Janata Party attacked the Congress-led Karnataka government. Sharing the purported video of the incident on ‘X’, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said the farmers are being “abused and insulted” in Karnataka.
Further targeting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over ‘Nyay’ campaign and asked if this was the nyay (justice) for farmers.
“Under Karnataka Congress govt patronage. Farmers are being abused and insulted for wearing Dhoti? Banned entry in a mall!. Karnataka CM wears a dhoti!. Dhoti is our pride.. should farmer wear a tuxedo in a mall? How is Karnataka Congress allowing this? They are most anti farmer! They even increased prices of diesel & betrayed farmers. Now they are insulting farmers by denying entry in Dhoti. Where is Rahul Baba ? Is this Kisan ke saath Nyay?” Poonawalla said in a post on X.
Karnataka Congress MLA NA Haris, reacted to the incident, calling the Bengaluru incident “unacceptable” and said he would urge the state government to take action.
“This is unacceptable…Dhoti is our traditional dress…We will tell the government to take action,” Haris told media.
Congress leader Rizwan Arshad also condemned the incident, saying that the Karnataka Congress government will not tolerate the discrimination and will take strict action.
Speaking to media, Arshad said, “This is a kind of discrimination… If someone is decently dressed, (then) they should be given respect. If somebody has done that (referring to the Bengaluru mall incident), the strictest action has to be taken against that institution, and in our government, we will not tolerate this.”
“A poor farmer has a right to come and visit any place authorized for him… so this discrimination will not be tolerated, we will take strict action,” he added.