Thiruvananthapuram, May 3 (IANS): The Muslim Educational Society (MES) in Kerala, which came out with a circular banning all face covering attires, on Friday got support from Kerala Minister of Higher Education K T Jaleel.

Jaleel told the media that it's time that Muslim religious organisations introspect if there is a need to follow rules and customs that are not prescribed by Islam.

"Even during the Haj and prayers, women don't cover faces, but some people are very particular that women should wear the burqa, which is not right," said Jaleel.

The Kozhikode headquartered MES that runs over 150 educational institutions in the state, banned all face covering attires at all its campuses from the academic year 2019-20.

However, this was opposed by the Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama, a popular Muslim religious organisation headed by Sayyid Muhammad Jifri Muthukkoya Thangal, who asked the MES not to interfere in issues related to faith and religion.

"The government has no intent to interfere in this issue and if needed, I will take the lead to initiate talks with religious heads to sort out the issue," said the three time legislator, who won as a CPI-M supported candidate and went on to become a Minister in the Pinarayi Vijayan cabinet in 2016.