With the political sphere heating up over women being allegedly denied to wear hijabs in educational institutions in the state, Karnataka Minister V Sunil Kumar has asserted that everyone should follow a uniform system inside a government campus.
"Our government stood with Muslim women by scrapping Triple Talaq. All those speaking on individual liberty, speak on restrictions on Muslim women in mosques. Everyone should follow a uniform system inside a government campus. That's my only intention," Mr Kumar told news agency ANI.
His comment comes after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday slammed the Karnataka government over the controversy over Muslim students' demand to be allowed to wear hijab in classrooms stating that by not permitting them to do so, the country was robbing the future of its daughters.
"By letting students' hijab come in the way of their education, we are robbing the future of the daughters of India. Ma Saraswati gives knowledge to all. She doesn't differentiate. #SaraswatiPuja," tweeted Rahul Gandhi on the occasion of Saraswati Puja.
On February 4, students wearing hijabs were allegedly denied entry into a government college in the Kundapur area of Udupi in Karnataka, amid a row on wearing the headscarf in classrooms.
State Education Minister BC Nagesh had told reporters, "They were not wearing the hijab earlier and this 'problem' started only 20 days ago."
In a similar incident in the state, students at a Chikkamagaluru college wore saffron shawls to mark their protest against girls wearing hijabs on campus. On Tuesday, many students also staged a dharna over the same. The police then entered the college premises and brought the situation under control.
In view of the development in the state, Leader of the Opposition in Karnataka Assembly and Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Friday alleged that the aim of this is to deprive Muslim girls of education.
"This is the plan of depriving female students of education. The aim is to deprive female children of education," Siddaramaiah told reporters in Bengaluru on Friday.
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