The dress code order issued by the previous BJP government has been instructed to be reversed by the Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah. This directive has been announced ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Siddaramaiah has expressed his disapproval of the BJP’s vote bank politics and has given assurance that the Congress will not adopt such tactics.
Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah Source: X
Karnataka’s chief minister, Siddaramaiah, made an announcement on Friday regarding the revocation of orders that prohibited the use of hijabs in state-run educational institutions. This decision marks the end of a controversial rule that had sparked protests nationwide.
During a public meeting in Mysuru, Siddaramaiah expressed his support for individual rights and emphasized that the choice to wear a hijab is a matter of personal preference and diverse self-expression.
He declared, “We will rescind the order that imposed restrictions on wearing hijabs. The hijab will no longer be prohibited. You are now free to wear a hijab. I have already instructed officials to withdraw the order.”
The potential rollback of a contentious rule, which was also one of the most controversial measures implemented by the previous Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, is being discussed.
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BJP Announces Hijab Ban
In January 2022, a dispute erupted when the Government PU College in Udupi was accused of prohibiting female students wearing the hijab from accessing classrooms. The protests initially began in Udupi but quickly gained momentum, spreading to various regions within the state and eventually capturing the entire nation’s attention. What initially commenced with two colleges in the coastal districts swiftly escalated into a statewide controversy as more educational institutions enforced a ban on the hijab. Hindu groups mobilized men wearing saffron shawls to oppose the presence of women in hijab within schools and colleges, leading to sporadic clashes.
In March 2022, the Karnataka Education Act and relevant regulations were utilized by the former BJP administration in Karnataka to enforce a dress code that prohibited students from wearing the hijab in educational institutions within the state.
This order faced opposition in the Karnataka high court, which ruled on March 15 that the hijab was not obligatory in Islam. The court upheld the state government’s decision to ban the headscarf in schools and colleges, affirming that the government possessed the authority to enforce a uniform policy in educational institutions.
Hijab Ban was announced in Karnataka last year Source: X
In October of the previous year, the Supreme Court issued a divided ruling on the prohibition. One judge argued that religious beliefs should not be brought into a secular school that is funded by the state, while another emphasized that discipline should not come at the expense of the freedom, dignity, and privacy of female students. The collection of petitions challenging the prohibition has now been presented to the Chief Justice of India in order to form an appropriate panel to resolve the deadlock.
Siddaramaiah’s Announcement
However, on Friday, Siddaramaiah hinted that the government was considering revoking the order, which would be the most prominent reversal of a decision made by the previous BJP administration. In Mysuru, the Chief Minister emphasized that the choice to wear the hijab is a matter of personal style and should not be politicized for electoral gains. He firmly stated that his administration would not engage in such tactics.
Furthermore, he criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s slogan of inclusive development, asserting that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is responsible for dividing people and society based on clothing, attire, and caste. A high-ranking government official, who preferred to remain anonymous, confirmed that they were aware of the Chief Minister’s statement and would take appropriate action based on further instructions from the Chief Minister’s office.
Previously, the Congress government had indicated that it was reconsidering the prohibition on wearing hijab. In June, about a month after securing victory in the state assembly elections, senior cabinet minister Priyank Kharge stated that the Congress would lift the ban on hijab, halal restrictions, and cow slaughter laws. However, these issues were not addressed during the subsequent assembly sessions.
In October, Karnataka permitted students to wear the hijab during competitive and recruitment examinations, causing controversy. Shortly after the chief minister’s announcement, the state branch of the BJP accused Siddaramaiah of attempting to sow communal discord.
