Kozhikode: Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) national general secretary P K Kunhalikutty called the hijab controversy at St Rita’s Public School, Palluruthy, a clear sign of growing intolerance in Kerala. He said the incident was “utterly shameful” for a state known for its communal harmony and inclusivity.
Speaking to the media, Kunhalikutty said divisive incidents like this were previously unheard of in Kerala. “When we point to incidents in places like Chhattisgarh, it is shameful that such intolerance is now visible here. If one group shows it today, another will do it tomorrow,” he warned.
Kunhalikutty questioned the school’s insistence on banning the hijab, despite its bylaw. “What harm would it cause if a small headscarf is allowed with the uniform? The teacher herself wears a headscarf,” he noted. He called the entire controversy — from press statements to counterstatements — an example of growing intolerance.
He said IUML refrained from making early comments to avoid escalating the issue, noting that “certain powers outside mainstream politics” seemed to have tried to communalize the situation.
The IUML leader also criticized the state government for its failure to protect the student’s education. “The education minister took a good personal stand, but the fact remains that the child’s studies stopped under the Left government,” he said.
Kunhalikutty acknowledged Congress’s attempt to mediate the issue and agreed with the court’s view that students should not be distinguished based on religion in schools.
