The hijab ban in Karnataka has sparked a major controversy and is once again set to make headlines as the Congress party may consider lifting it after assuming power in the state.
As many are awaiting for lifting of ban, Kaneez Fatima, the Congress’ lone Muslim woman MLA, has provided a glimmer of hope, expressing the party’s intention to revoke the ban in Karnataka. However, Congress has not made an official announcement regarding lifting of hijab ban.
According to a report by Scroll, Fatima stated that the party will lift the hijab ban in Karnataka in the coming days.
Karnataka assembly election results
The recently concluded Karnataka assembly elections marked a significant victory for the Congress party, securing 135 seats in the southern state. This outcome not only dealt a setback to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) but also shattered the aspirations of the Janata Dal (Secular) (JD(S)) to play a kingmaker role in forming the government.
Notably, Karnataka Education Minister BC Nagesh, whose department imposed the hijab ban, faced defeat in Tiptur seat, losing to Congress candidate K Shadakshari by a margin of 17,652 votes.
Furthermore, in the Gulbarga Uttar assembly constituency of Karnataka, Kaneez Fatima emerged victorious, defeating BJP’s Chandrakant B Patil by 2,712 votes. Fatima secured a total of 80,973 votes, while Patil received 78,261 votes.
Hijab ban in Karnataka
The hijab ban controversy originated from a college in Udupi, Karnataka, where six girls were stopped from attending classes due to their adherence to wearing the headscarf.
This incident, which occurred in December 2021, led to widespread protests by students, eventually spreading the issue across the state. Consequently, a ban on wearing hijab in educational institutions was enforced in Karnataka.
Although the government order was challenged in the Karnataka High Court, it was upheld, and the ban continued.
