D.K. Shivakumar, president, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, said here on Monday that divisive forces have engaged in dividing college students on communal lines and spoil the image of coastal belt known for its educational facilities.

Addressing presspersons, Mr. Shivakumar said that the Congress will channelise its energy to fight for pressing issues like inflation and unemployment that people are more concerned about.

He said that it is sad that some forces were trying to poison the minds of students and involve them in pro and anti-hijab demonstrations. “The coastal belt is known for offering quality education and students from across the country come here for studies. Sadly students in this region are being provoked to protest on religious lines and the world is commenting,” he said.

The Congress, he said, will not support divisive forces and stands by the norms of the Constitution wherein it is enshrined that there cannot be any discrimination of any citizen. “Our president Rahul Gandhi has made it clear that there cannot be any discrimination of students on the basis of religion,” he said.

Asked whether the party will implead in the writ petition filed by six students of Government Pre University College for Girls, Udupi, in the Karnataka High Court, Mr. Shivakumar was non-committal and said the party was studying the recent decision of Bombay High Court on the issue.

Other issues

The party, Mr. Shivakumar said, is more concerned about inflation, unemployment, rising fuel prices and irregular distribution of compensation for family members who died due to COVID-19.

The State Congress chief said he will shortly write to the State Government seeking permission to hold the Mekadatu rally to press for construction of balancing reservoir in Mekedatu.

He said the party was going strong on online enrollment of members to the party, which started in November last year. Following completion of the enrollment exercise in March, the party will hold elections in the block, district and State levels, he said.