With the issue spreading to other educational institutions and the matter coming before the High Court, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday held a meeting with Primary and Secondary Education Minister BC Nagesh and top government officials regarding the government’s stand. ,
Congress leader Siddaramaiah threw his weight behind Muslim girls on their right to wear hijab in educational institutions, and attacked the BJP government. “Since the matter is in court, the Chief Minister today held a meeting with the Legal Department and the Departments of Primary and Secondary Education. He has advised us to apprise the court of the government’s stand after taking the opinion of the Advocate General. Legal Department informed What the law and the rules say in the form of a meeting,” Nagesh said.
Accusing “hidden hands” of being behind the hijab controversy, as trying to make it an international news, Nagesh said, “Some people who are against this country, as part of a propaganda, do so. They are not able to digest India’s position on the world stage. And the respect our Prime Minister is getting at the international level.”
Talking to reporters here, the minister said, “Rules have been made in 2013, 2018 based on the Karnataka Education Act, according to which educational institutions and its SDMC (School Development and Monitoring Committee) have the right to prescribe uniforms. student.
“We have gone through all this and the government will take a decision soon. We have already issued a circular stating that the uniforms prescribed by the SCDMs before the academic year and to be worn by the students till now should be decided by the High Court. should be continued till outside,” he said, adding that no one can impose his personal or any religion stand in educational institutions.
The Karnataka High Court will hear on February 8 petitions by five girls studying in a government pre-university college in Udupi, questioning the hijab ban in the college.
There is a controversy over the wearing of hijab by some students at a government pre-university college in Udupi.
In another incident, Muslim girl students of Kundapur PU College were stopped at the entrance by the principal wearing a hijab at the gate itself.
While many Hindu students, mostly boys, came to college wearing saffron shawls, Muslim girls protested wearing hijabs.
The minister said that the Kerala and Bombay High Courts in their earlier orders have specifically said that scarves cannot be worn in educational institutions.
“…the Kerala and Bombay High Courts in their judgments relating to similar cases in institutions there have clearly stated that scarves cannot be worn,” he said.
Appealing to the students not to become a ‘scapegoat’ for anyone else, he said, “There should not be such an atmosphere of hatred, when in about two months they will have to face the examination.”
The minister said that the students had joined these schools because of their good reputation, and that the principal had informed them in writing about the rules and regulations there, including uniform rules, which he accepted in writing. had done and signed for it. ,
He said, “Till the first week of January, the rules were followed by all the students, but after that what mischief did someone take such a stand (with respect to wearing the hijab) and boycott the classes We don’t understand,” he said. Since the last one month, several attempts have been made by the local MLAs and community leaders to convince the girl students.
When asked about more students wearing hijab in educational institutions and Hindu students coming up with saffron shawls as a retaliation, she said, “There may be some natural reactions, but we have not allowed those people to attend.” Di’s who came wearing saffron shawls. Classes. There is no separate stand for them.”
Meanwhile, coming out in support of Muslim girl’s right to wear hijab, Siddaramaiah said, denial of entry of girls inside a college, that too in a government college is a violation of fundamental rights of students.
He accused the BJP of instigating students to wear saffron shawls to make it an issue.
Hitting back at Siddaramaiah, Nagesh said the uniform rules were made during the Congress leader’s government and asked him to study the Karnataka Education Act and related rules.
Kannada and Culture Minister V Sunil Kumar said that educational institutions have uniforms and one cannot wear what one likes for religious reasons, adding that the BJP government will not allow Karnataka, Udupi or Mangaluru to become “another Taliban”.
He alleged that some groups were trying to make the premises religious.
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