The former Minister Qamarul Islam, member of the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board and founder member of the All-India Milli Council, condemned the blatant attempts of right wing student organisations to communalise college campuses in North Karnataka districts by calling for a ban on girl students wearing burkhas in classrooms.
Referring to reports in The Hindu that the such a call for the ban had been made in some of the colleges in Haveri district, Mr. Qamarul, also the founder member of the All-India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat, told presspersons that such a call was an infringement on the religious rights of Muslim girls and would be opposed by the community.
Mr. Qamarul said the State government should intervene immediately and ensure the protection of the Muslim girl students in college campuses in Haveri and other parts of Karnataka. He accused right-wing student organisations of spreading communal tension prevalent in coastal districts to other parts by trying impose a burkha ban in Haveri.
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Mr. Qamarul said he was confident that the State government would take stringent action against the organisations calling for a ban on the burkha in classrooms and would issue directions to all college managements not to impose any such ban. “If the State government fails to discharge its constitutional obligations, we (Muslims) will stage a protest and I will raise the issue in the assembly.”
Mr. Qamarul also put an end to rumours that he was quitting Congress and joining Janata Dal (Secular). “After my stint in smaller and regional parties, I had chosen to join the Congress to get a bigger secular platform to serve the community and the people... There have been some setbacks but that does not mean I am leaving the Congress. I am a congressman,” he said.