Giriraj Singh slams those pushing for Muslim girls’ right to wear hijab in Udupi college

New Delhi: As the row over the decision to restrict hijab in a Udupi college intensified, Union minister Giriraj Singh on Tuesday slammed those supporting Muslim girl students’ right to wear it and wondered if the mindset promoting an Islamic state is behind this.

Speaking to reporters in Parliament House Complex, the BJP leader said he saw on social media that some students were offering namaz inside a school and asked if anybody will tolerate if Hindus say they will offer hawan in education institutions.

”Are they working for an Islamic state,” he said, alleging people believing in the concept of ‘ghazwa-e-Hind’ (Islamic conquest of India) are fuelling protests for Muslim girls’ right to wear the traditional garb.

Singh is considered a hardline Hindutva voice within the ruling party, which is also in power in Karnataka.

He alleged that the Congress’ ”appeasement policy” over the years has led to this situation and noted that then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had said minorities have the first rights over the country’s resources.

”We never said any Hindu has the first right. We said the poor have the first right be it Hindus or Muslims,” he said.

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday appealed to students and people to maintain peace and tranquillity as the hijab row escalated in parts of the state. After hearing the petitions filed by some students studying in a government pre-university college for girls in the coastal town of Udupi, the court posted the matter for Wednesday.