VIJAYAWADA: Amid the ongoing Hijab controversy, Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment of India Ramdas Athawale on Sunday said that religion should not be taken to schools.
"My suggestion is that religion should not be taken to schools," Athawale told ANI.
"Everybody is demanding special status. Andhra Pradesh is demanding special status, Bihar is also demanding special status, Everybody is demanding special status which is also a problem for the government of India," on being asked about Andhra Pradesh demanding special status.
The Hijab protests began on February 4 at the Government Girls PU college in Udupi district in Karnataka when some students alleged that they had been barred from attending classes wearing hijab (a headscarf worn by Muslim women). During the protests, some students were allegedly denied entry to college wearing hijab earlier this month.
The hijab row has now also spilt over to Rajasthan in a private college where some girls wearing hijab were stopped from entering the college.
The Supreme Court on Friday refused to hear urgent pleas relating to the hijab row in Karnataka and said it is "watching" what's happening in the state and in hearing before the High Court.