Karnataka Govt. Upholds Religious Freedom, Withdraws Hijab Ban

The Karnataka government, led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, officially withdrew the controversial 2022 hijab ban order issued by the previous BJP administration, allowing students from Class 1 to Class 12 to wear religious and traditional symbols, including hijab, saffron shawls, janivara, rudraksh, turban, and shivadhara, alongside their prescribed uniforms starting this academic year.

The government school uniforms will need to complement these religious items, though the new guidelines do not explicitly clarify whether specific saffron shawls, sindoor, kumkum, or vibhuti will be permitted, leading to confusion and political debate regarding the scope of the revised order.

The hijab controversy first arose in Udupi at a government pre-university college when Muslim students wearing hijab were denied entry, followed by Hindu students wearing saffron shawls in protest, sparking nationwide tensions and heated political debates over religious identity and education.

The Congress government stated that the review of the ban was aimed at upholding students' freedom to practice their faith while studying, in line with constitutional values and the 12th-century social reformer Basaveshwara's inclusive principle of "Iva Nammava" (He/She is ours).

Institutions were directed to ensure no student faced discrimination or humiliation under the revised guidelines, expected to trigger significant political reactions from both ruling and opposition parties across Karnataka and India.