Previous Congress govt framed dress code, not us: Karnataka Minister on hijab row

Bengaluru: Taking on Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah on the hijab controversy in Karnataka colleges, state Education Minister BC Nagesh on Friday said the dress code in Udupi and Kundapur pre-university government colleges was not introduced by the BJP government, but the previous Congress one.

"There should be a limit to playing politics. I want to ask Siddaramaiah. Who was ruling South Canara in 1985. Who was the MLA in Udupi then? The Congress government had decided to implement SDMC guidelines. Since then it has been followed by the students. But now, only eight students who were obeying the norms till last year, all of a sudden the Congress is raking up hijab controversy for political gains in the run-up to the 2023 assembly elections," he told reporters here.

The SDMC rules say all institutions have right to prescribe their own uniform. It was in vogue when Siddaramaiah was the chief minister in 2018, Nagesh said.

"Siddaramaiah, who is a former chief minister and an advocate, should not play politics over hijab to win the votes of one community as it does not bring dignity to an experienced leader like him," Nagesh said.

The SDMC guidelines, which are being followed by colleges, were framed in 1985, when Congress government was ruling the state, Nagesh added.

Nagesh requested Siddaramaiah not to spoil learning centres' atmosphere with "dirty politics" and under the provisions of Education Act, it clearly talks about bringing uniformity in educational institutions. The students, before enrolling themselves into these colleges, had signed papers pledging to obey the dress code, he said.

"All these years, the Muslim students have been attending classes without wearing hijabs and now they are insisting on it," he said.

Eight nations have banned hijab in educational institutions. Earlier, Siddaramaiah alleged that BJP MLA Raghupathi Bhat has unilaterally made dress code compulsory.

"Someone named Raghupathi Bhat has taken a unilateral decision on the dress code, but the government circular says uniform is not mandatory. Who is Bhat to say wearing a uniform is compulsory?” he asked.

Siddaramaiah also said denying entry into colleges to Muslims girls for wearing hijab is a violation of the right to education under the Constitution. He added that the government's circular has not made wearing a uniform mandatory in government pre-university colleges.

Asked about a section of students going to colleges wearing saffron shawls in protest against use of hijab during classes, Siddaramaiah said they were not wearing them earlier during the classes.

Muslim students should not be deprived of education, and also the college principal standing near the gate in Udupi and denying entry to girls was an inhuman act, he said.

On Thursday, Home Minister Araga Jnanendra said students should wear uniforms prescribed by school and college managements, and refrain from wearing either hijab and saffron shawls in the college premises. (UNI)