Hijab ban: Convince students, don't ruin their careers, Karnataka Congress President Shivakumar to parents, government

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Karnataka Congress President D.K. Shivakumar on Saturday urged parents and the BJP government in the state to convince the students about the court verdict on hijab to ensure that their careers are not ruined.

Shivakumar was speaking to reporters on the state government's decision to ban students from appearing in the crucial SSLC exams (Class 10) wearing hijab in the backdrop of the recent high court verdict.

"Children's education is of paramount importance. The students might commit mistakes. They might even be persistent. But their future must not be harmed for this. The parents need to sit and talk with them," he said.

"Religious leaders, parents and teachers must themselves get convinced first, and then persuade the children. Children always listen to their teacher's words, and the mother is their first teacher," the Congress leader added.
When asked about Opposition leader Siddaramaiah's demand to let students wear 'dupatta' around their heads and write exams, Shivakumar said, "The Congress stands with what the Constitution says. For us, the Constitution is like Bible, Quoran or Bhagavad Gita. I won't say anything more."

"The court has given its verdict on hijab, which some have agreed, and some have not. I am not in a position to say whether the judgment is wrong," Shivakumar said.

The state government will conduct the SSLC exams from March 28 to April 11. As many as 8,73,846 students have enrolled for the exams this academic year.

The exams will be conducted in 3,444 centres across the state. CCTV cameras have been installed in all the examination centers and prohibitory orders will be clamped in and around the exam venues.

The Karnataka High Court recently ordered restricting the wearing of hijab in educational institutions, deeming it not an "essential religious practice" in Islam.

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