Rahul backs hijab, BJP says he is communalising education

NEW DELHI/ BENGALURU: The hijab row snowballed into a political slugfest on Saturday with Rahul Gandhi coming out in defence of some students in Karnataka, who were denied entry into educational institutes due to their head gear. He said the country is “robbing the future” of its daughters, prompting BJP to challenge him to make hijab compulsory in Congress-ruled states.


“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,” Rahul said on Twitter, with a hashtag ‘

SaraswatiPuja

’ as his comments coincided with Basant Panchami.

Hitting back, the Karnataka BJP from its Twitter handle accused Rahul of communalising education and said if hijab is “so essential” for education, why doesn’t he direct Congress-ruled states to make it mandatory.



BJP state president and MP

Nalin Kumar Kateel

said the government will not allow “Talibanisation”. “There is no scope for hijab or any such attire in schools. Schools are the temples of Saraswati. It is the duty of the students to learn and abide by the regulations of the school. Bringing religion there is not right. If someone can’t follow rules they can choose their path elsewhere. Islam and Christianity came from foreign countries,” he said.

BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal said those backing hijab protests are “traitors” and “can go to Pakistan”. Mysuru MP Pratap Simha said those who want to wear hijab and burqa can go to madrassas.

Accusing BJP and RSS of trying to create communal disharmony in the name of hijab, former CM Siddaramaiah said the main agenda of the

Sangh Parivar

is to deny education to Muslim girls.