Fight hijab issue in court, not in corridors of edu institutions: Khader

Mangaluru: U T Khader, the deputy leader of Opposition in the Assembly, on Monday advised Muslim women students fighting to wear the hijab on campus that the issue should be settled in court and should not affect the education of others.
The MLA of Mangaluru suggested that a comparison should be made between the freedom allowed to people in India and other countries such as Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. “Let them continue their fight legally,” Khader said about the owmen students. “I have given all support in connection with the hijab within the framework of the law. Since there are legal issues, there is a need to question it in the court. One should not create unnecessary confusion in society,” Khader told reporters here.
“We have freedom of speech in our country. We need to respect the law of the land that has gifted us freedom. One will not get any solution to the hijab issue outside the framework of the law. It is the parents who should take up the responsibilities of the education of their children. Parents should show concern for the future of their wards. When such issues crop up, parents should come forward,” the Congress MLA said.
Last month, several girls in the University College in Mangaluru protested the Mangaluru University syndicate’s move to change the uniform rules mid-session, banning the wearing of the hijab on campus. The girls wrote to the deputy commissioner for his intervention.
Speaking about this incident, Khader said the prospectus of the college had allowed the students to wear headscarves earlier.
“However, the syndicate of the university decided to ban the hijab in the middle of the academic year. We need an answer as to whether the decision in the middle of the academic year is correct,” the former minister said.
Withdraw export duty on iron ore pellets
Khader has urged the central government to withdraw export duty on iron ore pellets. He said the government imposed 45% export duty on pellets recently.
“This will have an adverse impact on the KIOCL Limited (formerly Kudremukh Iron Ore Company Limited) in Mangaluru, which is engaged in pellet production by procuring ore from elsewhere and exporting it. The imposition of export duty is a conspiracy to sell the public enterprises. If the export duty is not withdrawn, the Congress will launch a mass protest,” Khader said.