Congress member L. Hanumanthaiah on Tuesday made a zero hour submission in Rajya Sabha on Muslim students being stopped from entering educational institutions in Karnataka for wearing the hijab. However, the MP from Karnataka could not complete his submission as he was interrupted by members of the treasury benches.
“In some recent incidents in Karnataka, certain educational institutions have stopped girl students from the minority community from entering for wearing hijabs. Sir, Article 14 of our Constitution guarantees equality for all, Article 25 guarantees free practising of religion. ...in this case, these Muslim girls are being stopped from wearing hijab,” he said before the interruptions began and he was told by Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu that the timing of the zero hour submissions was over.
“Let me complete. ..... Both the Ministers are here,” Mr. Hanumanthaiah urged the Chairman.
But Mr. Naidu said, “Time is over. What can I do? It is over now. Let us not make allegations. You have raised the issue. Let us try to understand and let them settle the issue, whatever matter it is. There is something called ‘uniform’ also. That is another problem.”
Several other members — Manoj Jha (RJD), P. Wilson (DMK), Amar Patnaik (BJD), M. Mohamed Abdulla (DMK), Abir Ranjan Biswas (TMC), and M. Shanmugam (DMK) — also associated with the issue. Amid the interruptions by the treasury benches, another Congress member Nasir Hussain was named by Mr. Naidu for defying the Chair as he engaged in verbal spat with the former.
