Even as the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) upped the ante against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who on Friday said that his government would withdraw the hijab ban in educational institutions, putting him on the backfoot, several progressive groups have demanded that he walk the talk and issue a formal withdrawal order.
BJP warns of stir
Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashok warned of a Statewide stir against the move.
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi on Saturday, BJP State president B.Y. Vijayendra said: “Mr. Siddaramaiah’s move raises concerns about the secular nature of our educational spaces. By allowing religious attire in educational institutions, the State government is dividing young minds along religious lines, hindering the inclusive learning environment.”
Similar views were expressed by a host of leaders from the BJP.
However, several progressive groups that had fought against what was effectively a “hijab ban”, imposed by the previous BJP regime in 2022, have welcomed the assurance by Mr. Siddaramaiah at an event in Nanjangud on Friday, and demanded that an order to this effect be issued soon.
Many have also expressed their disappointment at him sounding tentative on it on Saturday.
‘Issue order soon’
The People’s Union of Civil Liberties - Karnataka, which came out with a fact-finding report on the impact of the ban that showed that several Muslim girls dropped out and did not take exams in 2022-23, has demanded that the Congress government issue an order allowing hijabs soon.
“Education should be the priority and the State can prosper when all impediments to education are removed. A ban on hijab is not only bad in law, violating fundamental rights, but has also ensured that the number of Muslim girls enrolling came down,” said Arvind Narrain, president, PUCL-Karnataka.
The Janavadi Mahila Sanghatane - Karnataka has also welcomed the assurance of the Chief Minister and said this should help Muslim girls to continue their education unhindered. “If the BJP politicises this again, it will only prove that they are not in favour of women’s education and freedom,” the statement said.
The Bahutva Karnataka, a coalition of several progressive organisations, in a statement, said that not only should the government issue an order withdrawing the ban, but should also “provide compensation for the loss of education and attack on dignity causing deep harm to the Muslim students”, and “undertake corrective measures for students who have dropped out to continue their education.”
It has also demanded that “an inquiry committee be set up to look into the excesses by the Education Department, the police, and the media between January and March, 2022.”
‘Case could be withdrawn’
Hussain Kodibengre, State secretary, Association for Protection of Civil Rights, Udupi, said the Chief Minister should issue a government order lifting the ban to restore the “Constitutional right of Muslim women”. He said such an order would help the girls to withdraw their petition before the Supreme Court.
The hijab row broke out in January, 2022, when six girls in a government pre-university college in Udupi were barred from sitting in the class with hijabs. This soon spread to other colleges in the district and later other districts as well, even as a section of Hindu students started sporting saffron shawls.
The State government took a decision to empower college managements to prescribe uniforms, including imposing a ban on hijab, which was upheld by the High Court of Karnataka. However, a split verdict in the Supreme Court meant the issue remains unresolved and the petition by students, who were not allowed to wear hijabs in classrooms, has now been transferred to a three-judge Bench.
