I Am Targeted Because I Am A Muslim Woman

TABU RAO, wife of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president Dinesh Gundu Rao, was never in the political limelight before.

- Barkha Dutt

In fact, she preferred to stay away from it all these years. But, Tabu had come out and defended herself when her religious identity (and her identity as a woman) was used by BJP leaders, especially Union minister Anant Kumar Hegde, to attack her husband. Hegde, notorious for his controversial comments, called Dinesh Rao a “guy who ran behind a Muslim girl”. About Hegde’s comment she says: “It is both communal and sexist. In fact, it became sexist since I am a Muslim.” Edited excerpts:

What made you come into the public domain and take on Union minister Hegde when he was locked in a Twitter battle with your husband?

Hegde was locked into an argument with my husband, and dragged me into it. But, this is not the first time— Hegde has attacked me twice before. So have other state BJP leaders. It is not about them clashing with Dinesh. What they tell to Dinesh is not my problem. Dragging me into it is. So far I had kept quiet because I do not like to come out and speak in public. But, now, I had to do something as my children were upset that I was dragged into this.

How did your children react to the controversy?

Both my daughters—the elder one is 22 and the younger one 19—were extremely disappointed and upset. They were disappointed that you still have to discuss my 24-year-old marriage.

You felt attacked both as a woman and as a Muslim, because the comment made was that ‘Rao ran behind a Muslim woman’.