Karnataka Primary and Secondary Education Minister BC Nagesh  |  Photo Credit: ANI
Bengaluru: As the hijab controversy rages on in Karnataka’s colleges, Primary and Secondary Education Minister BC Nagesh on Wednesday spoke about the now-viral video of a burka-clad girl shouting “Allah-hu-Akbar” as a crowd chanting “Jai Sri Ram” heckled her. The BJP lawmaker had earlier contended that the SDPI-backed CFI (Campus Front of India) was behind the hijab conflict.
“Students didn’t want to gherao the girl who was outside the college. No student was around her when she shouted “Allah hu Akbar”. Was she provoked? Can’t encourage ‘Allah hu Akbar’ or ‘Jai Shri Ram’ on campus,” the state minister said.
The girl – identified as Muskaan Khan, a student of PES College of Arts, Science and Commerce in Mandya district – had later told reporters that she had been stopped at the college gate by a group of students and asked to enter without her burka. “The group was doing the same to my other friends also. I questioned them why I should go back to my house and not enter the college premises. Some of them came close to my ears and shouted ‘Jai Sriram’. They followed me and shouted that I must take out the burka but I stood my ground,” she was quoted as saying by news agency IANS.
Nagesh’s remarks have since invited criticism from Opposition leaders. “This moron could hear only ‘Allah Hu Akbar’. He didn’t hear ‘Jai Sri Ram’ being used as a war cry by a huge crowd of lumpen elements and intimidation and near assault on Muskan by them just because she chose to wear a burqa. Shame on this Minister,” tweeted National Conference leader Shafqat Watali.
As the protests turned violent this week, with incidents of stone-pelting and police officials resorting to baton charges and use of tear gas, the Karnataka government had ordered the closure of all high schools and colleges in the state for three days. “No one can take law and order into their hands. The government will not spare any miscreant,” BC Nagesh assured today.
A day earlier, the Karnataka Minister had said that investigation was underway and that a report would be coming soon. “I have already spoken with the Home Minister. We have investigated and solved the problem. There will be an investigation to find who is behind it. The investigation is underway, not an order. Some people feel they need to be investigated when they are spreading across the state. After investigating the matter, everything will become clear. Who is behind this incident will be investigated. We will take action on that”, Nagesh had said.