'No controversy for decades over girls wearing hijab, why now?' asks CPI(M) Rajya Sabha floor leader

He said the issue has been 'deliberately manufactured' to arouse communal sentiments, as there was 'no controversy for decades'

CPI(M) Rajya Sabha floor leader Elamaram Kareem on Wednesday urged Centre's intervention in the Karnataka hijab row, saying it has been "deliberately manufactured" to arouse communal sentiments, as there were "no controversy for decades" over Muslim girls wearing the headscarves.

In a letter to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Kareem said "unfortunate incidents" are taking place in Karnataka where Muslim girl students are deprived of their right to attend classes wearing a hijab.

Seeking the minister's intervention, the CPI(M) leader said an "unnecessary controversy" is being created in the state with an intention of communal polarisation. He said the issue started when a few government educational institutions in Udupi district disallowed students wearing hijab from entering the campus.

"This has resulted in widespread protest among the Muslim community. Till now, the Muslim girls were wearing headscarves without any objection. It was disallowed saying that they are not following the common dress code. It is a completely misleading statement. The students have been wearing hijab along with the uniform for so many years," Kareem said.

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"In some educational institutions, the colour of the headscarf is also prescribed for the students to follow uniformity in dress code. In other words, for decades, there was no controversy. This is being deliberately manufactured to cause division and arouse communal sentiments," he said.

Kareem said it was expected that the state government would take initiatives to curb the controversy by retaining the status quo but it has not happened from the government.

Requesting not to deprive Muslim girls of their right to education and their right to attend classes by wearing headscarves as they have been doing till this controversy, he said the right of students to attend classes should be the primary concern and it should be protected at any cost.

"Any move to spread hatred and division among the people should also be dealt with stringent measures. In this scenario, I am requesting your urgent intervention on this matter. You may kindly instruct the Government of Karnataka to take steps for protecting the rights of the students and to put an end to this unnecessary controversy that could harm the communal harmony of our nation," he said.

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