CM’s announcement on withdrawing hijab ban will vitiate academic atompshere, says BJP

BJP leaders in coastal Karnataka oppose CM Siddaramaiah's announcement to allow hijab in classrooms, citing it as "anti-Constitutional" & "politically motivated".

Reacting strongly against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s announcement that the government will withdraw the ban on wearing hijab in classrooms, the BJP leaders in the coastal belt said on Saturday, December 23, that it will only vitiate the academic atmosphere in education institutes.

D. Vedavyasa Kamath, Mangaluru City South MLA, and Y. Bharat Shetty, Mangaluru City North MLA, said that if Mr. Siddaramaiah went ahead with the decision then it would prompt some students again to sport saffron shawls in classrooms.

“Mr. Siddaramaiah should not have made the announcement when the matter is pending before the Supreme Court,” Mr. Kamath told media.

To a question, Mr. Kamath said that the BJP will support the saffron shawl-wearing students in case hijab is allowed in classrooms.

Mr. Kamath said that some education institutes did not allow sporting bindis, flowers, and wearing bangles in classrooms. The party and Hindutva groups did not make it an issue because the atmosphere inside the classroom should be free of any religious reflection. If the Congress government allows wearing hijab only to appease minorities, then the BJP will also jump into the fray to support saffron shawl wearing students.

He said that Mr. Siddaramaiah’s announcement is politically motivated ahead of Lok Sabha elections.

Mr. Shetty said in a statement that now the State government itself is coming in the way of dress code adopted by education institutes.