MP School Education Minister takes U-turn on hijab, says dress code won’t be imposed

A day after his remarks that hijab is not part of the school dress code and should be banned, Madhya Pradesh School Education minister Inder Singh Parmar took a U-turn on his stance. Parmar clarified that no dress code would be devised for schools in the state.

The BJP government in Madhya Pradesh said that no proposal to ban 'hijab' in educational institutions in the state is being considered, even as state School Education Minister Inder Singh Parmar, who had supported a 'hijab' ban and proposed a dress code in schools, said his statement was "wrongly interpreted."

While commenting on the 'hijab row', Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra, said, "There is no controversy over [the wearing of] 'hijab' in Madhya Pradesh. No proposal is under consideration by the state government regarding the hijab ban. So, there should be no confusion in this regard."

When asked about the protests for and against the wearing of 'hijab' or headscarves, in Karnataka, Mishra said this matter is related to Karnataka, which is pending before the High Court.

Protests for and against the 'hijab' intensified at colleges in different parts of Karnataka after the state government last week issued an order making uniforms prescribed by it or management of private institutions mandatory for its students at schools and pre-university colleges across the state.

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Speaking about the campus unrest in parts of Karnataka, BJP's national general secretary, Kailash Vijayvargiya, said that schools are to gain knowledge and not to spread religious fanaticism.

"The attempt is being made to spread religious hysteria in Karnataka schools by insisting on wearing hijab is inappropriate. A school has its own dress code and it should be strictly followed," Vijayvargiya tweeted.