NEW DELHI: Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday clarified that his government is contemplating lifting the ban on hijab but has not taken the final decision yet.
This comes after Siddaramaiah was quoted as saying that he has instructed officials to lift the ban imposed during the previous BJP rule and that anyone is free to wear what they want.
“We haven’t done it (revoking Hijab ban) yet. Someone asked me a question (on lifting Hijab ban). I replied that the government is considering revoking it,” the chief minister said.
Wearing of Hijab (head scarf) was banned in educational institutions in the state during the BJP regime in 2022.
Asked whether he will lift the ban in this academic year, the CM said it will be done after discussing at the government level.
The Congress government faced strong criticism from the opposition BJP regarding its stance on the hijab issue. The saffron party expressed worries about the “secular essence” of educational environments due to this decision.
BJP’s Karnataka chief B Y Vijayendra accused Siddaramaiah of disrupting the academic atmosphere and engaging in “appeasement politics” prior to the Lok Sabha elections.
Vijayendra likened the Congress’s approach to the British “divide and rule” policy, suggesting it perpetuated a legacy rather than fostering progress.
The hijab ban issue had caused a major political storm in the state last year with matter reaching the Karnataka HC, which upheld the decision of the state government.
The issue was later taken up in the Supreme Court where a two-judge bench pronounced a split verdict. The Supreme Court then said it would consider setting up a three-judge bench to adjudicate the matter.
(With inputs from PTI)
This comes after Siddaramaiah was quoted as saying that he has instructed officials to lift the ban imposed during the previous BJP rule and that anyone is free to wear what they want.
“We haven’t done it (revoking Hijab ban) yet. Someone asked me a question (on lifting Hijab ban). I replied that the government is considering revoking it,” the chief minister said.
Wearing of Hijab (head scarf) was banned in educational institutions in the state during the BJP regime in 2022.
Asked whether he will lift the ban in this academic year, the CM said it will be done after discussing at the government level.
The Congress government faced strong criticism from the opposition BJP regarding its stance on the hijab issue. The saffron party expressed worries about the “secular essence” of educational environments due to this decision.
BJP’s Karnataka chief B Y Vijayendra accused Siddaramaiah of disrupting the academic atmosphere and engaging in “appeasement politics” prior to the Lok Sabha elections.
Vijayendra likened the Congress’s approach to the British “divide and rule” policy, suggesting it perpetuated a legacy rather than fostering progress.
The hijab ban issue had caused a major political storm in the state last year with matter reaching the Karnataka HC, which upheld the decision of the state government.
The issue was later taken up in the Supreme Court where a two-judge bench pronounced a split verdict. The Supreme Court then said it would consider setting up a three-judge bench to adjudicate the matter.
(With inputs from PTI)