BHOPAL: A day after MP school education minister Inder Singh Parmar said hijab should be banned in schools, chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday advised ministers to exercise restraint while speaking to the media.
At Wednesday's cabinet meet, CM told ministers that no one should "arbitrarily give comments on policy matters". State home minister and government spokesman Narottam Mishra Wednesday clarified that there is no plan to ban the hijab. "The state government has no such proposal (on hijab ban) under consideration. There is no controversy here. In Karnataka, too, the matter is before the court," Mishra said. Parmar's statement has put the ruling BJP in MP on the defensive. "Is this a government or a circus," Congress asked, and demanded Parmar's sacking.
"On Tuesday, the state's school education minister gave a statement on hijab, which was a well-calculated strategy. But the repercussions and reactions were so severe, that the government has had to deny it and home minister Narottam Mishra now says there is no such proposal before the government. This is a very serious issue," said state Congress general secretary (media) KK Mishra.
'CM should remove Parmar for reckless comment'
Congress pointed out that the education minister is in a constitutional position yet gives a statement that the government has to deny the very next day. "Under whose instructions did Inder Singh Parmar give such an irresponsible statement? The matter is before Karnataka high court. And here is a minister who gets up in the morning and decides to impose a ban. Is this a government or a circus?" Mishra remarked, and said that CM Chouhan should remove Parmar for his "reckless comment". tnn
