Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, during his interaction with female students at Aligarh Muslim University, emphasized the importance of respecting women's choice of clothing, including the hijab. He addressed the recent hijab controversy in Karnataka when a student raised the issue and asked for his perspective if he were the prime minister.
Gandhi expressed his opinion on the matter, stating, "What a woman wants to wear is her business. She should be allowed. This is my opinion. What you wear is your responsibility. What to wear is your decision. I don't think anyone else should decide what you wear."
The hijab controversy has been a topic of discussion in various states, including Rajasthan, where government school students faced objections for wearing the hijab. State's School Education Minister, Madan Dilawar, issued warnings of strict action if the dress code was not followed, and Minister of State for Home, Jawaharsingh Bedham, commented on students' attire, saying they should not come to school in "oot-patang (absurd) attire."
BJP MLAs in Rajasthan had raised objections to girls wearing the hijab in a government school, leading to discussions about enforcing a ban on head coverings in all government and private schools in the state.
The hijab controversy in Karnataka initially surfaced in January 2022 when six students from Government Pre-University College in Udupi accused the administration of restricting them from entering the university premises while wearing the hijab.
Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, which began on January 14, 2024, from Manipur's Thoubal. During the Yatra, Gandhi emphasized the need to combat economic and social injustices. The Yatra is scheduled to conclude on March 20, 2024, in Mumbai.
