As backlash mounts, Karnataka Congress may revisit action against Muslim leaders

Weather ePaper Today’s Paper Journalism of Courage Home ePaper Politics Explained Opinion India Business Premium Cities UPSC Entertainment Sports World Lifestyle Tech Subscribe Sign In TrendingUPSC OfferIPL 2026US NewsPuzzles & GamesLegal NewsFresh TakeHealthResearch🎙️ Podcast Advertisement function checkAndLoadWindowSizeScript() { if (window.jQuery) { // jQuery is loaded, include your script jQuery(document).ready(function($) { // Your existing script for checking window width if (window.innerWidth) var page_w = window.innerWidth; else if (document.all) var page_w = document.body.clientWidth; if (page_w > 1024) { $(".add-left, .add-right").show(); } else { $(".add-left, .add-right").hide(); } }); } else { // jQuery is not loaded, check again after 0.2 seconds setTimeout(checkAndLoadWindowSizeScript, 200); } } // Initial call to the function checkAndLoadWindowSizeScript(); NewsCitiesBangaloreAs backlash mounts, Karnataka Congress may revisit action against Muslim leaders As backlash mounts, Karnataka Congress may revisit action against Muslim leaders Satish Jarkiholi is leading efforts to contain the fallout and pacify sections of the Muslim community, reportedly upset over the disciplinary action against Abdul Jabbar and Naseer Ahmed. By: Express News Service3 min readBengaluruUpdated: Apr 20, 2026 05:19 PM IST The internal tensions stem from the candidate selection process for Davanagere South, which exposed divisions within Congress leaders from the Muslim community.(Credits: Facebook/ Abdul Jabbar) Make us preferred source on Google Whatsapp twitter Facebook Reddit PRINT Wary of political backlash over disciplinary action against Muslim leaders, the Karnataka Congress Monday appeared to be in damage-control mode, with indications that the party may review the suspension of MLC Abdul Jabbar and the removal of MLC Naseer Ahmed as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s political secretary. The Congress leadership acted against Jabbar and Ahmed over allegations of anti-party activity that jeopardised its prospects in the Davanagere South Assembly bypoll held on April 9. Besides the two, the actions of Housing Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan also came under scrutiny, with speculation that he might be asked to resign from the Cabinet. Karnataka Public Works Department Minister Satish Jarkiholi, a close aide of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, is leading efforts to contain the fallout and pacify sections of the Muslim community, which is reportedly upset over the disciplinary action. Speaking to reporters, Jarkiholi said he had already taken up the matter with Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar. “After taking permission from the high command, we will ensure that he (Jabbar) returns to the party,” he said. He added that the objective of his meeting with Shivakumar was to “protect the minorities.” Earlier, Jarkiholi said there was still time to issue a notice to the MLC. “The state unit will have to approach the high command to revoke his suspension,” he said. Jarkiholi acknowledged dissatisfaction within the community, noting that Muslims in the state were questioning why action had been taken against the two MLCs while similar instances involving leaders from other communities were allegedly overlooked. The internal tensions stem from the candidate selection process for Davanagere South, which exposed divisions within Congress leaders from the Muslim community. Soon after the elections, MLC Saleem Ahmed and MLA Rizwan Arshad had accused some community leaders of anti-party activity, following which action was taken against Jabbar and Naseer Ahmed. The move triggered strong reactions from minority groups and a section of progressive organisations. On Monday, representatives of leading Muslim organisations in the state wrote to the Congress leadership condemning the “discriminatory approach of the Congress party towards a Muslim community that has voted overwhelmingly in its favour.” Referring to the controversy over the candidate at Davanagere South, the letter said that the manner in which ticket distribution was handled and the party’s conduct post-election had come as a “deep shock”. “Senior Muslim leaders who had worked for the party for decades were suddenly removed without any valid reason and without even giving them an opportunity to explain. This conduct of the Congress has added to the pain of the community. At a time when the party should have addressed the disappointment of not giving the ticket, it instead acted in a highly insensitive manner, leading to strong anger,” the letter said. Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram