Hijab not an issue in Bihar, says CM Nitish Kumar

Patna, Feb 14: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday downplayed Hijab row, saying it is not an issue in his state where religious sentiments are respected. If someone puts something on the head in a classroom, there is no need to comment on it, Kumar told reporters at a programme.

"This is not an issue in Bihar, we should not focus on such things.... It's useless," he said. The matter has gone to court, said Kumar. "In Bihar schools, children wear almost the same type of dress. If someone puts something on the head, there is no need to comment on it. We do not interfere in such matters. We respect religious sentiments of each other," he said.

The Bihar CM said that everybody is equal for the state government in his public outreach programme, 'Janata Ke Darbaar Mein Mukhyamantri'.

The hijab controversy broke out in Karnataka governed by the BJP, with which Kumar's Janata Dal (United) shares power in Bihar.

The Hijab protests began on February 4 at the Government Girls PU college in Udupi district in Karnataka when some students alleged that they had been barred from attending classes. During the protests, some students were allegedly denied entry to college wearing hijab by Muslim women earlier this month. On Tuesday, the Karnataka High Court also appealed to the student community and the public at large to maintain peace and tranquillity while hearing various pleas challenging a ban on hijab in the state.

Nitish's JD (U) shares power with the BJP in Bihar.