Students wearing saffron scarves a reaction to women sporting hijab: Karnataka education minister
Bengaluru, Jan 8: Karnataka Primary and Secondary Education Minister B C Nagesh on Saturday appeared to defend the action of some students, who recently wore saffron scarves in a college in Chikkamagaluru district to protest against sporting of hijab by a few Muslim women inside the classroom, terming it as a reaction.
The management of Balagadi Government Degree College in Koppa taluk of Chikkamagaluru district had initially banned wearing both saffron scarves and hijab but later allowed it till January 10 when the "betterment committee" is slated to take a call on the issue.
Wondering what prompted the Muslim women to sport hijab inside the classroom, Nagesh said in a video message, "Now as a reaction, some of the students are putting orange (saffron) shawls on them. It's their reaction. As you know, whenever there is an action there will be a reaction."
He also charged that some organisations want to create "differences" and take advantage.
In a government pre-university college in the coastal town of Udupi, six Muslim girls were barred from attending the classes since January 1 for wearing hijab as the dress was against prescribed norms of the college.
The Campus Front of India and Girls Islamic Organisation of India had lodged a complaint with the Karnataka State Minorities Commission chairman Abdul Azeem to look into the matter.
The matter was resolved after four days in the college betterment committee meeting where it was decided that no one would be allowed to attend classes with hijab.
About the Udupi incident, Nagesh wondered, "The students of a pre-university college in Udupi decided to use scarves (hijab) and not to follow the discipline of the college. I don't know what made them to do like that."
Talking to PTI, KSMC chairman Abdul Azeem said the matter in Udupi has been resolved as it was decided in the college betterment committee that the girls can enter college wearing scarves but they cannot attend the class putting them on.
He said the Campus Front of India had given a memorandum to him asking his intervention to allow the women in Udupi to attend classes with headscarves.
After receiving a complaint from Udupi students, he contacted the Wakf officer of Udupi, the district minority welfare officer, deputy director of the PU Board as well as the superintendent of police of Udupi.
According to him, there was an arrangement since 1985 that hijab will not be allowed inside the classroom. "If they want to come with hijab, they can come with hijab to the college premises but not inside the classrooms," Azeem clarified.
He added that he has also written to minister Nagesh urging him to examine the issue "constitutionally".
The Campus Front of India state committee member Mohammed Zuber K in his complaint to the KSMC chairman said the students have been denied entry into the class for wearing hijab "which is a symbol of our modesty, identity and an important part of our religious observance".
He also said the constitutional rights of the women to advocate practice and propagate their faith was violated.
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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.
