Bengaluru: Amidst hijab row in Karnataka, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday said an unnecessary controversy should not be encouraged and students should be guided by school uniform.
“Unnecessary controversy should not be encouraged. Like the controversy which is going on in Karnataka now. In a school you are all guided by the school uniform. Whatever uniform it is,” he said at the inauguration of an indoor sports arena and L’atelier at a private school here.
Hijab row hit national headline after six Muslim girl student of a college in Udupi had protested against the college authorities restricting them to attend classes wearing hijab. The protestors then moved the Karnataka High Court asking for quashing of the February 5 Government Order asking them to follow the dress code of the institution.
In its interim order the three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Justices J M Khazi and Krishna S Dixit, directed educational institutions enforcing dress code to restrain students from wearing hijab and saffron scarves during teaching hours inside classrooms till the final order is delivered.
Further speaking, Naidu in his unparalleled style said discipline, education, dedication, devotion are the need of the hour in India. “Education is a mission, not a commission. There should not be any omission. We should not give any remission and work for the promotion of the nation with a passion. This is what is required,” he said.
Naidu urged state governments and educational institutions to develop spiritual minds among children, and clarified that spirituality does not mean religion. “Religion is your personal choice but our culture, our heritage, our Dharma (duty), we should all follow in our lives,” the VP said.
Naidu also urged people to preserve and promote Indian heritage and culture and feel proud to be a Bharatiya (Indian). “Erosion of values has been causing havoc in the world for humanity,” he said. On India’s past glory, the VP said that India was known as Vishwa Guru, but prolonged colonial rule made the country forget it.
