The Congress’s victory in the 2023 Karnataka Assembly
elections was hailed across India as a moment of hope with the defeat of the
state’s Hindutva-driven Bharatiya Janata Party government. As the Congress
celebrated its second anniversary in the state on May 19, has it delivered on
its secular promises since it came to office?
It is crucial to first consider the policy landscape the
Congress inherited from the BJP.
Early in 2022, the BJP banned hijabs in educational
institutions, severely restricting Muslim girls’ right to education. School
textbooks were revised to remove or dilute information about key social
reformers, secular leaders and rationalist thinkers. At the same time,
narratives were introduced that aligned with the ideological framework of the
Sangh Parivar – the family of Hindutva organisations to which the BJP belongs.
In addition, temple committees and festival organisers,
under pressure from Hindutva organisations, prohibited Muslim traders from
participating in Hindu temple fairs and religious events. This
institutionalised discrimination in public life.
The BJP also enforced a ban on cattle slaughter and beef
consumption, significantly hurting the livelihoods of minority and Dalit
communities and policing food consumption.
Finally, the government promoted the “love jihad” conspiracy
theory, claiming that Muslim men were marrying Hindu women solely with the aim
of converting them to Islam. In May 2022, it introduced restrictions on
interfaith marriages and religious conversions.
Sweeping legal powers were given to the police under the
anti-conversion law, including powers to make non-bailable arrests without
warrants or prior judicial permission, to act on complaints made by undefined
third-party associates and reversing the burden of proof on those accused of
various offences.
Key promises
The Congress government came to power in May 2023 with
promises to reverse many of these decisions. Two years later, a critical
examination reveals a mixed record, suggesting both moments of initiative and
lapses of conviction.
On the hijab ban, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah publicly
expressed the government’s intention to withdraw the order. However, the
assurance remained largely rhetorical. In February, the state’s Education
Minister stated that the existing dress code policies, including the ban on
hijabs, would continue until the Supreme Court delivered its verdict on the
matter.
This equivocation, while perhaps tactically prudent, betrays
a lack of political will to decisively protect Muslim girls’ right to
education.
In contrast, the Congress government was far more resolute
in tackling the textbook revisions initiated under the BJP. Within months of
assuming office, the government constituted expert committees to review the
curriculum, remove ideologically biased content, and reinstate chapters on
rationalist thinkers, social reformers and progressive national leaders.
These revisions aimed to restore balance and inclusivity in
the education system.
However, the government’s record on economic and social
inclusion at temple fairs is less encouraging. In October 2023, several local
committees, comprising members from various religious communities, appealed to
district authorities to permit Muslim traders to participate in temple fairs –
events from which they had been systematically excluded under the BJP.
Despite these appeals, the Congress government failed to
issue a clear, state-wide directive allowing Muslim vendors to participate.
This absence of a uniform policy framework perpetuates uncertainty and demonstrates
the Congress’s reluctance to confront discriminatory practices head-on, further
weakening its secular credentials.
The Congress has also fallen short on its promise to repeal
the cattle slaughter law, a key element of the BJP’s strategy to effect
cultural and economic control. During its 2023 campaign, the Congress pledged
to undo this legislation, which has caused economic hardship for many minority
and marginalised communities.
Yet, two years into its tenure, the law remains in force.
This inaction reflects a deeper malaise – an unwillingness to confront the
Hindutva ecosystem for fear of political backlash, even at the cost of
forsaking a stated electoral commitment rooted in inclusive, secular values.
Similarly, the government’s handling of the anti-conversion
law has been marked by hesitation. Although the state cabinet resolved to
repeal the law, the bill to that effect has not been introduced in the
Assembly. The delay again underscores the Congress’s concern over potential
political repercussions.
It raises serious questions about whether the party is truly
willing to stake political capital in defence of constitutional freedoms when
it matters most.
Taken together, these developments suggest that the Congress
government’s performance on secularism has been, at best, uneven and, at worst,
disappointing.
This equivocation is not merely a matter of political
expediency; it risks hollowing out the very principles the party claims to
stand for. The Congress cannot continue to position itself as a secular
alternative to the BJP if, when in power, it shies away from reversing bigoted
policies due to electoral concerns.
True secularism demands more than symbolic gestures or
bureaucratic half-measures; it requires the courage to stand firm on the Constitution,
especially when doing so is politically inconvenient.
Vishal R Choradiya is an assistant professor with the
Department of Professional Studies, Christ University, Bengaluru
Two Years on, Has the Congress Government in Karnataka Shown
