'Vested interests hijacking the issue, am proud Kannadiga’: Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw has said that vested interests are hijacking the issue that she had pointed out in an earlier tweet over a call by right-wing groups to ban Muslim traders from temple festivals in Karnataka.

“Unfortunately, vested interests are hijacking the issue to political parties. I am confident our CM @BSBommai will resolve the matter peacefully. I am a proud kannadiga n don’t want to see these incidents detract from economic progress. All parties need to work towards this (sic), she said in a tweet.

This comment comes after a tweet, minutes prior, where she had alleged that the media is making this into a “BJP issue”. 

Her clarifications come after BJP leader Amit Malviya responded to her tweet on Karnataka. “It is unfortunate to see people like Kiran Shaw impose their personal, politically coloured opinion, and conflate it with India’s leadership in the ITBT sector. Rahul Bajaj once said something similar for Gujarat, it is today a leading automobile manufacturing hub. Go figure… (sic),” he said. 

Malviya was replying to Mazumdar-Shaw’s tweet that said: “Karnataka has always forged inclusive economic development and we must not allow such communal exclusion- If ITBT became communal it would destroy our global leadership.  @BSBommai please resolve this growing religious divide (sic).”

Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal are demanding a ban on Muslim traders at temple complexes. Some temples have even banned Muslim traders. 

Also read: Glasgow Uni names research centre after John Shaw and Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw