A section of Muslim religious and political leaders in Karnataka on Thursday accused the Congress of acting arbitrarily against minority leaders and risking broader alienation within its support base following developments linked to the Davanagere South by-election.
President of the Karnataka unit of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, Mufti Iftikhar Ahmad Qasmi, said at a joint press conference organised by Ulama Karnataka that the party’s recent actions could distance the AHINDA coalition, which has been central to the Congress’s electoral strength in the state. He alleged that decisions were taken without due process. “Before taking any action, a show-cause notice should have been issued and an explanation sought. Instead, action has been taken in a unilateral manner,” he said.
The remarks follow the removal of MLC Naseer Ahmed from the post of political secretary to chief minister Siddaramaiah and the expulsion of MLC Abdul Jabbar from the party’s primary membership. Jabbar had earlier stepped down as president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee Minority Wing after deputy chief minister and state party president DK Shivakumar accepted his resignation.
Qasmi alleged that Abdul Jabbar had been pressured into resigning before his removal and questioned the rationale behind the action against Naseer Ahmed.
He also raised concerns over the absence of action against senior Congress leader Shamanur Shivashankarappa, who he said had campaigned for BJP candidate BY Raghavendra in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. “Was that not anti-party activity?” he asked.
Qasmi said repeated appeals to nominate a Muslim candidate had been overlooked despite the presence of a substantial minority electorate. “Despite having around 80,000 votes, we have been denied representation,” he said, objecting to the selection of candidates from political families.
Representatives of Ulama-e-Karnataka said they had raised the issue with chief minister Siddaramaiah and AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge on March 20 and later discussed it with AICC general secretary in charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala at the residence of MLA Rizwan Arshad. They said an earlier assurance had been given that the matter would be considered.
“We were assured that the matter would be discussed with the chief minister and the party high command. However, the announcement of a candidate from the same family came as a shock,” they said.
Religious leaders also cited post-election surveys from the 2023 assembly polls, which indicated strong support from minority communities, particularly Muslims, for the Congress. They said there was now a growing perception that the party was taking that support for granted.
The Ulama body said it would hold consultations within the community to determine future steps to protect its interests.
Separately, Afreen Khan, who had served as vice-president of the Youth Congress in Bengaluru North district, criticised his expulsion, stating that he had already resigned earlier in April. “I resigned from the Karnataka Pradesh Youth Congress on April 4. But today I have been expelled,” he said in a social media post.
Afreen Khan had earlier posted comments critical of Shivajinagar MLA Rizwan Arshad in connection with the by-election. The expulsion order was issued by Youth Congress president Manjunath Gowda.
The developments come amid reports of disciplinary action against several Muslim leaders in the party and speculation about further measures, including possible action involving minister BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan. Some leaders have alleged they are being selectively targeted, warning that the party could face consequences in the 2028 elections.
Meanwhile, PWD minister Satish Jarkiholi on Thursday said that he will soon meet state president DK Shivakumar, to discuss the party’s action against some of its minority community leaders regarding allegations of internal conspiracy in the Davanagere South bypoll.
“Let’s see. I will meet the party state president and discuss it. Because the wrong message shouldn’t go out that after Valmiki, now the Muslim community is being targeted. I will meet Shivakumar and discuss,” Jarkiholi said in response to a question about whether CM Siddaramaiah’s confidants were being targeted — after Rajanna, now Naseer Ahmed and Abdul Jabbar, and next will be Zameer Ahmed Khan.
