Hijab row a conspiracy to poison young minds: Cong president D K Shivakumar
Mangaluru, Feb 7: The controversy over wearing of hijab in colleges is part of a conspiracy to poison the minds of the young people, Karnataka PCC president D K Shivakumar said on Monday.
Addressing a press meet at the district Congress committee office here, he said the "hijab row is an insult to our country and against the tradition of the land."
He said the coastal region has its own history, culture and human resources and is known as an educational hub.
An attempt is being made to change the tradition and poison young minds by fuelling the hijab row.
He instead of addressing several issues like unemployment and petrol price hike, sensitive issues like hijab-wearing are being raked up by vested interests.
Shivakumar expressed the hope that the students will soon get justice on the hijab issue as all have faith in the constitution.
On Dakshina Kannada district-in-charge Minister V Sunil Kumar's statements on the row, Shivakumar said the minister has the responsibility to abide by the oath taken in the assembly.
Earlier, talking to reporters at the airport here, he alleged the BJP is trying to create unrest among the students and public over the issue. He claimed that the saffron party has been following this line since its inception.
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PM Modi meets Dutch royals in Netherlands, discusses cooperation in technology, innovation
The Hague (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met King of the Netherlands Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima at the Royal Palace and discussed close cooperation in digital technology, innovation, fintech and blue economy.
Modi arrived in the Netherlands on Friday - after a brief stopover in the UAE - on the second leg of his five-nation tour that also includes Sweden, Norway and Italy.
"Met His Majesty King Willem-Alexander and Her Majesty Queen Máxima at the Royal Palace. It was wonderful exchanging perspectives on boosting India-Netherlands friendship across key sectors like technology, innovation, sustainable growth, commerce and water resources," PM Modi posted on X after the meeting.
Modi said that India and the Netherlands are "connected by shared interests and a shared belief in building a future-ready planet."
"They discussed the growing partnership between India and the Netherlands," the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted on X.
"Both sides noted the close cooperation in the areas of sustainability, climate action, digital technology, innovation, fintech and blue economy," he added.
The two sides also expressed commitment towards further strengthening India–Netherlands relations.
Earlier in the day, Modi addressed a gathering of the Indian diaspora in The Hague where he called India a “land of opportunities” undergoing an “unprecedented transformation”.
The PM's visit to the European nation from May 15 to 17 is his second trip to the country after his 2017 visit and comes at what officials described as an "important juncture" in India-Netherlands ties.
India and the Netherlands have significantly expanded cooperation in recent years beyond traditional sectors such as trade, investment and the priority areas of water, agriculture and health.
The partnership has grown in strategic sectors, including technology, innovation, defence, security, semiconductors, renewable energy, education and the maritime domain, the MEA said.
The Netherlands is one of India’s largest trade destinations in Europe, with bilateral trade valued at USD 27.8 billion in 2024-25. It is also India’s fourth-largest investor, with cumulative foreign direct investment amounting to USD 55.6 billion, officials said.
People-to-people ties remain a key pillar of the bilateral relationship.
Later on Saturday, Modi is scheduled to meet his Dutch counterpart Rob Jetten.
