Hyderabad: AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi on November 14, Tuesday slammed the ruling Congress in Karnataka for its decision to ban all forms of headcover in the exams held in the state.
Continuing his tirade against the Congress, especially against its Telangana unit chief A Revanth Reddy whom he has been after, throughout the AIMIM’s current campaign for the upcoming Assembly polls, he remarked that the “CongRSS chief RSS Anna wants to apply ‘Karnataka model’ in Telangana.”
“#Karnataka CongRSS govt has banned HIJAB in exams. It has also not revoked the previous BJP govt’s Hijab ban. Telangana CongRSS chief RSS Anna wants to apply “Karnataka model” in Telangana. This is why he keeps abusing sherwani & avoids being seen with skull cap wearing Muslims Kapde dekh kar pehchaano, as his bestie Modi once said,” he said in a post on X.
The AIMIM chief and the TPCC president have been at loggerheads during the campaign trail. While Revanth accused Owaisi of wearing “Khaki knicker under his sherwani”, the latter termed the TPCC chief as an ‘RSS puppet’.
The Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) has banned any kind of head cover during upcoming recruitment exams of various boards and corporations in the state.
Though the dress code does not explicitly ban hijab, it is implied by the new guidelines. The order said that this is part of the effort to stop exam malpractices using bluetooth devices.
Earlier on November 6, a woman appearing for the Karnataka Public Service Commission examination was asked to remove her ‘mangalsutra’ before entering the exam hall.
After protests by Hindutva groups, the KEA has now allowed women to wear mangalasutra and toe rings in the examination hall while restricting other jewellery.
The recruitment exams of various boards and corporations are to be held on November 18 and 19 across the state.
Earlier in October, the Karnataka government had allowed students to wear the Hijab, during competitive exams. The Higher Education Minister MC Sudhakar had allowed aspirants to come to examination centres wearing the Hijab sparking off protests by right-wing groups.
However, after complaints about usage of Bluetooth devices by certain students the state government this time decided to enforce the ban.
The exam dress code restricts girls from wearing high-heeled shoes, jeans, and T-shirts, while men are permitted to wear half-sleeve shirts that are not tucked into their trousers.
(With excerpts from agencies)
