Media Release

Karkala, May 14: Karkala MLA V Sunil Kumar has strongly criticised the Karnataka Congress government over its reported decision to withdraw the order enforcing a dress code in educational institutions and allow the wearing of hijab in schools and colleges.

In a statement, the former Karnataka minister and Karkala MLA alleged that the Congress government was once again openly pursuing “Muslim appeasement politics.” He said that the dress code introduced in 2022 for government educational institutions and pre-university colleges was still under consideration before the Supreme Court, and withdrawing the order before the court’s final verdict amounted to a violation of constitutional principles as well as contempt of the judiciary.

Sunil Kumar further alleged that the state government, led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, was attempting to regain the support of the Muslim community after facing setbacks in the Davanagere by-election. He claimed that the government had recently sanctioned crores of rupees for the development of Muslim colonies and had now followed it up by permitting hijab in educational institutions.

Accusing the Congress of prioritising vote-bank politics over national unity and constitutional values, Sunil Kumar said the government’s order itself was contradictory. He pointed out that while the order stated that the basic purpose of uniforms should not be altered or weakened, allowing hijab would, according to him, change the very concept of a uniform.

He also alleged that the Congress government lacked a clear educational policy and was creating social discord through divisive politics. Sunil Kumar warned that what he termed as “appeasement politics” had already weakened the Congress in several states, including West Bengal, and claimed that the party would soon face a similar decline in Karnataka as well.