Muslim organisations have slammed Karnataka State Education Minister BC Nagesh for allowing Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations in educational institutions. The Campus Front of India, the student arm of the radical Islamist outfit Popular Front of India (PFI), criticised the minister’s remarks and sought his resignation.
“Education Minister should focus on the development of quality education and infrastructure, not on Communal policies and statements,” the CFI said in a tweet on Thursday.
Campus Front of India Karnataka strongly Condemns the unilateral biased statement of @BCNagesh_bjp, Education Minister should focus on the development of quality education and infrastructure, not on Communal policies & statements.
— Campus Front of India – Karnataka (@CampusFrontKar) August 18, 2022
We demand immediate resignation. #ResignBCNagesh
Shaafi Saadi, head of the Karnataka Waqf Board, questioned the government’s decision and presented many demands to the authorities. He sought a separate room for students to offer namaz on a daily basis, permission to celebrate Muslim festivals, and religious courses to be taught as part of moral education.
This criticism comes after Karnataka State Education Minister BC Nagesh gave the go-ahead to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi in schools, describing it as a non-religious event that brings the nation together. Nagesh made the announcement on Thursday, stating that it has been held in schools even before Independence.
“Schools have complete freedom to celebrate Ganesh Chaturti this year and they can continue to do so just like every year,” Nagesh told reporters at a press conference in Bengaluru.
“Ganeshotsava was started in this country as a weapon of the freedom movement. Before that Ganapati puja was done inside the houses. On the orders of Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Ganapati Utsav was started in schools, hostels and public places. It was not started after any government came to power. It was a weapon of the Independence movement. Such practices have been going on for generations and there is no question of stopping it. We have not given any new permission for religious practices,” Nagesh further said.
The Minister stated that educational institutions that previously celebrated Ganesha celebrations may continue to do so, but that other religious activities in schools are not permitted. Given the government’s strict position on religious dress in educational institutions, BC Nagesh’s comment has received criticism.
Karnataka Hijab row
Notably, major controversy erupted in Karnataka in January 2022 after a Udupi school prohibited hijab inside classrooms. Some Muslim girl students, supported by PFI had appealed against this in the Karnataka High Court. On February 25, the court reserved its decision on the case. Protests, allegations, and counter-allegations occurred in response to the hijab ban.
The Karnataka High Court declared on March 15 that wearing a headscarf does not constitute an essential Islamic practice as the petitioners failed to provide evidence in that regard. The Karnataka High Court dismissed all petitions contesting the hijab ban in Karnataka schools and decided that the rules for the uniform dress were fair and that students can not object to respective dress codes mandated by educational institutions.
A Full Bench of the High Court comprising Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Justice Krishna Dixit, and Justice JM Khazi pronounced the decision. The Bench ascertained that the petitioners’ basic rights were not violated by a uniform dress code at educational institutions.
