India: ‘I love hijab’ movement in Karnataka; BJP says it won’t allow ‘Talibanisation’

Bengaluru: With hijab controversy in Karnataka spreading fast to other districts of Karnataka state, Muslim students in Mysuru district have launched a “I love hijab” movement.

Muslim students have started a “I love hijab” movement in Mysuru city extending their support to the protest of students in Udupi district to wear a hijab and attend classes.

A group of students gathered near the historical Bannimantap and staged a protest urging the government to allow students with hijab. The protesters held placards saying ‘I love hijab’ and later attended classes wearing a hijab.

The police intervened when Hindu students came to classes wearing saffron shawls in Ramdurg College of Belagavi in north Karnataka.

In New Delhi, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday slammed the Karnataka government saying that by barring students with hijab into classesso, the country was robbing the future of its daughters.

“By letting students’ hijab come in the way of their education, we are robbing the future of the daughters of India. Ma Saraswati gives knowledge to all. She doesn’t differentiate. #SaraswatiPuja,” tweeted the Congress leader on the occasion of Saraswati Puja.

The ruling BJP has declared that it won’t let ‘Talibanisation’ take root and told these students that if they want to attend classes they will have to shun the hijab.

Minister for Power, Kannada and Culture V. Sunil Kumar stated that he won’t allow Talibanisation of Udupi district from where the hijab row started. “How can students from poor backgrounds move the High Court? Who is behind them?” he questioned.

Education Minister Nagesh after attending a meeting with chief minister said that if Muslim students want to study they have to come in uniform. He attacked Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah for targeting the BJP over the hijab row that rules on uniform were framed in 2018 when he was the chief minister. “Do not destroy the education field in the state. The state would come out with a policy once the High Court decides the matter,” he said.

Home Minister Araga Jnanendra has said that the government can’t make rules as per the wishes of the Congress party. The concept of uniform has come from the time of the British. The Congress has divided the nation on the basis of religion for vote bank politics, he said.

Former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa stated that the ruling BJP is observing the developments and a suitable decision will be taken at a suitable time on the hijab row.

Former Minister from the Congress U.T. Khader warned the ruling BJP that if the students come out in the open, the government can’t withstand it. Former Minister and senior Congress leader Satish Jarakiholi said that there is a possibility of the hijab row escalating and spreading and the government must stop it.

Another senior Congress leader B.Z. Zameer Ahmad Khan said he was pained to see the students denied entry into college and standing on the road in Kundapur for wearing a hijab. “It was wrong. The ruling BJP is behind this,” he charged.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka Congress has demanded removal of the Principal of Kundapur Pre-University College of the state’s Udupi district for denying entry to students in hijab to the college.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Siddaramaiah, the Leader of Opposition from Congress party stated that the government has not mandated uniform at pre-university levels.

The Principal of Kundapur College in Udupi district has closed entrance gates for the 19 Muslim students wearing hijab and stopped them from entering college. This is against the fundamental right of the citizens, he stated.

“An MLA Raghupathi Bhat has told the college management it seems to make uniform compulsory. Who is this fellow to make it compulsory? Besides, it is a government college. This Principal, who gets his salary from state exchequer stands at the entrance and closes the gate at the behest of BJP MLA. The principal of the college should be removed,” Siddaramaiah said.