Bengaluru: After accusing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of “communalising education”, Karnataka BJP has itself upped the communal ante over the ongoing Hijab row at a government girls college with party leaders calling schools “temples of Sarasvati” and asking Congress leader Siddaramaiah to “change his name to Siddha Rahim” for supporting the students.
The ongoing 'Hijab' row at the Government Pre-University College for Girls, Udupi in Karnataka on Saturday triggered a politrical war of words between the ruling BJP and Congress party with the former accusing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of “communalizing education” for his support to the students. Rahul while reacting to the row wrote on Twitter, “By letting students’ hijab come in the way of their education, we are robbing the future of the daughters of India. Ma Saraswati gives knowledge to all. She doesn’t differentiate”.
Later in the day, Congress MLA from Kalburgi North Constituency, Kaneez Fathima led a protest of scores of students against the Udupi college authorities' decision not to allow the girls into the premises in Hijab even as leader of the opposition and senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah termed the college authorities' denial to the girl students to wear hijab on the premises s “inhuman” and “violation of the students’ fundamental rights”. Responding to Siddaramaiah's statement over hijab row, BJP leader and Member of Parliament Pratap Simha said at Mysuru that Siddaramaiah “does politics of convenience”. “For the sake of next election, he will change his name to 'Siddha Rahim' from Siddaramaiah”. Simha also asked the girl students to “go to madrasas (Islamic seminaries) if they want 'hijab' instead of job”.
The BJP state chief Nalin Kumar Kateel on Saturday said the state government “will not allow 'Talibanisation' of the education system”. Kateel's remarks came on the heels of protests by Burqa-clad women in some parts of the state against the decision to bar female students from wearing hijab inside classes. Speaking to media, Kateel said,"There is no scope for such things (wearing Hijab in classrooms). Our government will take stringent action. People have to follow the rules and regulations of the school. We will not allow Talibanisation (of the education system).Bringing religion to educational institutions was not right, what children require is education." "There is no scope for Hijab or any such thing in the schools. Schools are the temples of 'Sarasvati'. It is the duty of the students to learn and abide by the regulations of the school," the BJP leader said.
Vijayapura BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal said, “If you want to go to schools with hijab, then go to Pakistan. There is no permission for that in this land. Some people were intentionally demanding permission for wearing Hijab in classrooms. Once that demand is fulfilled, they will seek permission to wear Burqa and then to construct mosque inside the school, The demands will go on.
Those who are supporting them are the real traitors". The MLA suspected the “involvement of some anti-national forces in disturbing the peace in the state”. To a query on Lord Ganesha being worshiped in educational institutions and people entering schools and colleges sporting vermilion on their forehead, Yatnal said, "This is India and our country is founded on the Indian culture. We have already given them Pakistan on the basis of religion for them to wear Hijab."
Also read: K'nataka Hijab row triggers political war of words between Congress, BJP
