Siddaramaiah Withdraws Hijab Ban In Karnataka, 'Wear What You Want

MYSORE: In Bengaluru, the Karnataka government has announced the impending withdrawal of the ban on wearing hijab. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah clarified that there was no longer an effective hijab ban in the state, emphasizing that women have the freedom to “wear anything they want.”

Addressing a gathering in Mysore, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah expressed, “The hijab ban isn’t there anymore. (Women) can wear hijab and go anywhere. I have directed to withdraw the (ban) order. How you dress and what you eat is your choice. Why should I obstruct you?” He reiterated the principle that people in the state have the liberty to make personal choices about their clothing and food preferences.

Highlighting the broader perspective of individual freedom, Mr. Siddaramaiah stated, “Wear what you want. Eat what you want. I will eat what I want, you eat what you want. I wear dhoti, you wear pant shirt. What’s wrong in that?”

In 2022, the BJP government, led by Chief Minister B Bommai, had imposed hiijab ban in educational institutions, leading to a significant controversy. After legal challenges, the Karnataka High Court upheld the ban, contending that wearing a hijab is “not an essential religious practice of Islam.”

The matter reached the Supreme Court, which delivered a split verdict, with differing opinions on the enforcement of uniforms in schools and the characterization of hijab as a matter of choice.

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With the change in government in June, Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge signaled a review of regressive policies, including the hijab ban, emphasizing a commitment to reassess and repeal any measures deemed detrimental to the state’s progress.

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