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Karnataka Minister Madhu Bangarappa on Wednesday defended the State government's decision to withdraw the February 2022 order that prohibited hijabs in classrooms, saying religious practices should not come in the way of students' education and future.
Speaking on the Congress government's fresh order permitting students to wear limited traditional and faith-based symbols along with prescribed uniforms, Bangarappa said, "Religious practices shouldn't come in between students' education and future. The Chief Minister was really hurt when the 24th incident happened. Our constitution allows all religions." Congress MLA Rizwan Arshad also welcomed the government's decision and said education is a fundamental right that should not be denied on the basis of traditional attire. "I welcome the new order of the Karnataka government. I thank the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar... There is discrimination against various students belonging to different communities, not only minority communities. It is not only about a hijab. Whether it is a mangalsutra, hijab, scarf, or janivara, all these are traditions being followed for centuries. Education is a fundamental right of the students... How can the government discriminate against those students who follow their tradition? How can the government ask them to keep them away from the educational institutions?" Arshad said. "The government's job is to broaden the spectrum so that every section of society, including the youngsters come and get educated. This government order has broadened that spectrum, given a clarity that no student, whether Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh, or Buddhist, can be discriminated for their traditional attire," he added. Furthermore, Congress MLA Kaneez Fatima also expressed happiness over the decision and said several students had suffered after the hijab ban. "I thank the Karnataka Congress government, Siddaramaiah, DK Shivakumar, and Madhu Bangarappa from the bottom of my heart. This is a matter of pride and happiness for us," Fatima said in Kalaburagi. "When the hijab was banned, many students skipped their exams this year. I am very happy that students can now go to their schools and colleges wearing their hijab," she added. The Karnataka government has withdrawn the February 5, 2022, order issued by the then BJP government that had prohibited the wearing of hijabs in classrooms. The new guidelines, implemented with immediate effect, permit students to wear "limited traditional and faith-based symbols" along with prescribed uniforms. The decision comes after an April 24 incident in which a student's sacred thread was allegedly cut at a school. Under the fresh order, students are allowed to wear symbols such as turbans, sacred threads, Shiva beads, Rudraksha and headscarves, provided they complement the prescribed uniform and do not alter its original purpose. The order further stated that no student shall be denied entry to educational institutions, classrooms, examination halls or academic activities for wearing such symbols along with the prescribed uniform. The government order stated that implementation of the new guidelines must remain "uniform, religious, traditional and non-discriminatory" and in accordance with constitutional values, including equality, dignity, fraternity, secularism and the right to education. It also directed School Development and Monitoring Committees, College Development Committees and heads of institutions not to subject students to discriminatory treatment or humiliating behaviour. The order clarified that no student shall be compelled either to wear or remove permitted traditional and customary symbols. However, during examinations, national and state dress code regulations would continue to apply. (ANI)
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