It may be a stray incident: CM Bommai on two students skipping exam for not allowing hijab-wearing
Kalaburagi/Bengaluru, Apr 22: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday termed as stray incident two students not appearing for the second PUC (class 12) exam after being denied permission to enter the examination hall as they were wearing hijabs.
"I'm not aware of it, it may be a stray incident. Our Education Minister will look into it," the Chief Minister, who was in Kalaburagi district to attend BJP meetings, told reporters when asked about the girls not writing the exam after not being allowed to do so as they had the hijabs on.
Asked if the two students would be given another chance to write the exam, he said, "Whatever the Education Minister will say on this will be our (govt) stand."
The two girls arrived at the exam centre by wearing hijab. They insisted that they be allowed to write the exam wearing hijab but the college authorities, citing the High Court order, denied them entry.
Later, the girls returned home.
As there is a ban on hijab or any cloth linked to religious identity, the authorities made arrangements at exam centres for the Muslim girls to remove their headscarves before entering the halls.
The girls who turned up at the examination wearing hijabs said they would remove them in the separate enclosure and wear them again after the exam is over.
The second-year pre-university examinations started in the State today amid tight security and in the shadow of the hijab row.
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We need to create system in which people's skills get their due: Rahul Gandhi
New Delhi (PTI): Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi Friday called for creating a system in which people's skills get their due and everyone's contribution is respected, as he shared a Diwali video in which he interacts with paint job workers and potters.
Posting the over nine-minute video which features him also having a conversation with his nephew Raihan Rajiv Vadra on YouTube, the former Congress chief said, "A memorable Diwali with special people - I celebrated this Diwali working with some painter brothers and making earthen diyas with a potter family."
"I saw their work closely, tried to learn their skills and understood their difficulties and problems. They don't go home. We celebrate festivals happily and to earn some money, they forget their village, city, family," Gandhi said.
"They make happiness from clay. While lighting up the festivals of others, are they able to live in light themselves? Those who build houses can hardly run their own houses!" he said.
Gandhi said Diwali means light that can remove the darkness of poverty and helplessness.
"We have to create such a system -- in which people's skills get their due and contribution is respected -- makes everyone's Diwali a happy one. I hope this Diwali brings prosperity, progress and love in the lives of all of you," he said.
In the video, Gandhi is seen working with labourers at the 10 Janpath residence and learning to paint walls along with his nephew. In the second part of the video, Gandhi goes to the house of a woman who makes earthen lamps with her five daughters.
Gandhi tries his hand at pottery and makes 'diyas', which he says he would give to his mother and sister.
Since his Kanyakumari to Kashmir Bharat Jodo Yatra and his Manipur to Mumbai Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, Gandhi has been interacting with a cross-section of people from mechanics and cobblers to labourers and bus drivers.
He often posts videos of his numerous interactions and highlights the plight of various sections of society.
