Hijab remarks, 2-child norm trigger controversies in 2024

Several political slugfests erupted over the last year over controversies caused by events and statements made by prominent leaders in Rajasthan.

- HT Correspondent

JAIPUR: From education minister Madan Dilawar's remarks on hijab and removal of Mughal emperor Akbar from school curriculum to bid to implement One State One Election policy saw the government and the opposition engaging in a war of words.

Dilawar's series of controversial remarks The year started with education minister Madan Dilawar's demand to make 'Suryaamaskar' mandatory in government school curriculum, sparking a massive row as the opposition accused him of imposing a religious exercise upon students.

“Few people have opposed Surya Namaskar. Such people neither respect the country nor acknowledge the Bharatmata. I don't need to think about these people; our chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma is there to take care of them,” he said in February. “Sunlight is the best source of Vitamin D, which will be good for the student's health. Lord Suryanarayan also teaches us several life lessons. People should be thankful.”

Meanwhile, on February 6, Dilawar pushed for a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in line with Uttarakhand after Jaipur's Hawa Mahal MLA Balmukundacharya directed a local school principal to rusticate a few students who were seen wearing hijab during a Republic Day event. “Wearing hijab is a violation to the school dress code. But the entire controversy during the incident was an attempt to add a communal colour to the demand for a hijab ban in the school. To stop such violations of dress code, UCC is a must,” he said.