Karnataka government to withdraw hijab ban order, says Chief Minister Siddaramaiah
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday announced that the state government will withdraw the order banning hijab in schools and colleges in the state. He stated, “the choice of clothes is one’s own prerogative”.
The Chief Minister said he has directed officials to withdraw the order banning hijab, a headscarf wrapped around the head by some Muslim women, brought in by the previous BJP government in 2022.
“The choice of clothes is one’s own prerogative. I have directed to withdraw the hijab ban. PM Modi’s ‘sab ka saath, sab ka vikas’ is bogus. The BJP is dividing people and society based on clothes, dress, and caste,” the Chief Minister said.
The decision is likely to trigger a fresh political controversy in the state, as the BJP has made it clear that it will oppose any move to revoke the hijab ban.
In October of this year, the government allowed students to wear hijab during competitive exams, hinting at a revocation of the ban order.
In February 2022, a government college in Udupi banned the hijab inside classrooms, and many other institutions followed suit. Later, the then Basavaraj Bommai government issued an order to ban hijab inside campuses, stating that “any clothing that would disturb equality, integrity, and public law and order” will not be allowed.
The order had led to multiple protests and counter-protests, leading to the closure of institutions in the state. The matter reached the Supreme Court, which pronounced a split verdict on October 13. The division bench then requested the Chief Justice to refer the matter to a larger bench, and it is pending before the top court.
