Karnataka hijab row: 'Robbing future of India's daughters,' says Rahul Gandhi; BJP hits back

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has commented on the hijab controversy in Karnataka, wherein a government college in the state barred Muslim girls from attending classes while wearing a hijab.

Taking to Twitter on the occasion of Saraswati Puja, 5 February, Gandhi stated that “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”.

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

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) February 5, 2022

  The state unit of the Bhartiya Janata Party reacted to Gandhi’s post and accused him of “communalising education”. It also called the Congress leader “dangerous” for the country’s future.

By communalising education, CONgress co-owner @RahulGandhi has once again proved that he is dangerous to the future of India. If Hijab is very much essential to get educated, why doesn't Rahul Gandhi make it mandatory in States ruled by CONgress?#CommunalCONgress https://t.co/MnVoVSJKEm — BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) February 5, 2022

Rahul Gandhi’s statement comes in the wake of other colleges in Karnataka also denying entry to students wearing hijabs. On 2 February, Kundapur’s Pre-university college refused to let women enter unless they took off their headscarves.

According to NDTV, about 40 Muslim women students have also protested outside Bhandarkar’s Arts and Science Degree College in Kundapur. The students, who were denied entry to their classes, were protesting against the ban on wearing hijab in colleges.

The controversy began in early January this year. Six students in Udupi district’s Government Girls PU College alleged that they had been barred from attending classes after they insisted on wearing a hijab.

A delegation of students, including five of the students, denied entry to their classes, later approached the District Collector, and discussed the matter. As per reports, the collector, Kurma Rao, stated that he had spoken to the principal of the college about the issue.
At least, two more colleges in the state appear to have followed the stance taken by the Government Girls PU College in Udupi.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka government has set up a committee to decide if students can attend classes if they are wearing a hijab. Until a report by the committee is submitted, the government has stated that students can attend classes only if they are not wearing the head covering.

According to NDTV, government colleges in Karnataka are allowed to frame their own guidelines on dress codes. As per reports, while some colleges allow a hijab or any headscarf on the campus, there is ambiguity on whether students can wear them inside the classroom.

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