Hijab row: Those unwilling to follow uniform dress code can explore other options: B C Nagesh
Bengaluru, Feb 6: Amid the raging row over wearing 'Hijab' in educational institutions in Karnataka, state Education Minister B C Nagesh on Sunday said students who are unwilling to adhere to the uniform dress code are at liberty to explore other options.
"Just as rules are followed in the military, the same is to be done here (in educational institutions) as well. Options are open for those who are not willing to follow it, which they can make use of," Nagesh told reporters in Mysuru.
The minister appealed to the students not to become 'tools' in the hands of political parties.
The Bommai government had on Saturday issued a circular banning clothes which disturbed peace, harmony and, law and order in the educational institutions across the state.
On the circular, Nagesh said the government felt the need to clarify on this matter and issued a circular.
He also clarified that the students can to come to the school wearing Hijab, but inside the campus they have to place it in their bags.
Wondering why the problem emerged all of a sudden when students of all the faiths were coming to schools wearing uniform, he said everyone was learning and playing together with a sense of equality but never ever have religious differences cropped up.
According to Nagesh, trouble began in December when some children in Udupi were instigated to wear Hijab saying 'Sharia' (Islamic law) prescribes such dress code and they were duty-bound to abide by it.
The minister further claimed that many children were asked to do so but a majority of them did not agree.
"In Udupi school where the incident occurred, out the 92 Muslim children only six girls came wearing Hijab and succumbed to the 'poisonous seeds'. Other children came to the school wearing their school uniform," he said.
Rejecting the Congress party's charge that the BJP government does not want Muslim students to continue their studies, Nagesh pointed out that the Karnataka Education Act was not brought by the BJP but Congress, which had ruled for maximum years in the state.
The minister urged the grand old party not to create divisions in the society for political gains.
In December last year, some girl students started coming to a government school in Udupi district wearing Hijab, against the prescribed uniform norm.
In protest against the violation of dress code, a section of Hindu students also started coming to classes wearing saffron shawls.
Even before the matter could be resolved, the hijab-saffron shawl controversy spread to more pre-university colleges in the state. In Kalaburagi district headquarters town, Muslim girls led by the Congress MLA Kaneez Fathima staged a protest on Saturday demanding permission to allow female students in the schools and pre-university colleges to wear Hijab. The issue took a political turn with the political parties in the state indulging in mudslinging.
While the Congress backed the Muslim girls citing constitutional rights guaranteed, the BJP stood against wearing of 'Hijab' in classes with its state president saying the state government will not allow Talibanisation of the education system.
The Karnataka High Court on February 8 will hear the petitions filed by five girls studying in a Government Pre-university College in Udupi, questioning hijab restriction in college.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
