The Chief Minister of Karnataka, Siddaramaiah, clarified on Saturday that the state government has not issued any order to lift the ban on wearing the hijab in educational institutions. This statement follows media reports suggesting the removal of the hijab ban after the CM’s recent comments sparked speculation.
The controversial hijab ban was imposed by the previous BJP-led government, triggering widespread protests. Despite Siddaramaiah’s recent statement allowing women to wear the hijab, he emphasized that no formal decision has been made by the government regarding this matter.
“We have not done it yet (allowing hijab). One person asked me a question, and I replied to that. Yes, the government is considering to end the ban. But the matter will be discussed with government officers first,” Siddaramaiah clarified during his interaction with reporters.
This move to potentially revoke the hijab ban was part of the Congress’s pre-election agenda earlier this year, resulting in the party’s victory over the BJP in May. However, Siddaramaiah’s stance has drawn criticism from the BJP, labeling the Congress’s approach as “appeasement politics” and accusing them of dividing people based on attire and caste.
The hijab ban issue had reached the Supreme Court, which delivered a split verdict on the government’s authority to regulate clothing choices. The Court proposed setting up a three-judge bench to further address the matter.
Former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai criticized Siddaramaiah’s recent statement, highlighting that the matter is pending in the Supreme Court. Bommai accused Siddaramaiah of aiming to appease minorities in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections.
The controversy initially surfaced in December 2021 when six girls at Udupi’s Government PU College were denied permission to wear the hijab in classrooms. This ongoing issue has become a subject of political contention as the 2024 general election approaches.
Sources By Agencies
