Sriram Sena chief asks govt to kick out students insisting on Hijab in classroom

Hubballi: Amid row over Hijab (Islamic headscarves) in some schools in Karnataka, Sriram Sena chief Pramod Muthalik on Tuesday said the insistence for wearing them, ignoring the uniform shows ‘terrorist mindset’ and such students should be kicked out of the school.

”This obduracy has the mindset of taking them (students) to the level of a terrorist. Now they say Hijab, next they will ask for Burqa (veil), further they will insist on Namaz and mosque. Is this a school or your religious centre?” he told reporters here.

He asked the government not to allow any public discourse on the issue and take steps immediately. ”What I say is that without giving chance for public debate, they (students asking for Hijab) should be issued a transfer certificate and kicked out. This mindset is most dangerous,” Muthalik said.

The right wing leader said the school management should strictly tell the girls that there is no need to come to school wearing Hijab.

Noting that uniform means uniformity and equality, Muthalik said the dress code is introduced so that there is no display of upper and lower caste or religious identities. ”You have freedom at home to do whatever you want but once you step into the school, you have to abide by the rules and regulations of your school,” he said.

He claimed that a Hindu teacher was transferred after she was working at a school in a Muslim-dominated village Bommanahalli in Kunigal Taluk of Kolar district.

Referring to another incident in a school in Chintamani Taluk of Kolar, where children performed Namaz, Muthalik sought to know, ”Are you out to make it (India) Pakistan or Afghanistan? With your separatist mindset, if you demand Hijab and Burqa, then go to Pakistan.”

He demanded that the government should not allow such mindset to grow and give room for public discussion. About a month ago, Hindu students started attending classes wearing saffron scarves protesting against the Muslim girls wearing Hijab in classroom in Chikkamagaluru district.

A similar incident took place in Udupi where five students of the Government Girls’ Pre-University College refused to enter classes without Hijab. After they stayed away from the classroom for about a month, the local MLA K Raghupati Bhat, who is the president of the college development authority, too decided two days ago that they cannot enter the classroom wearing it.