“Politically motivated,” Rajasthan BJP MLA Acharya on protests over his hijab remarks

Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], January 30 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Balmukund Acharya has dismissed as “politically motivated” the protests against him after he visited a school in Jaipur during Republic Day celebrations.

“This protest was done by a few people who are doing politics. I spoke with the girls and had a good interaction with them. We spoke about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s schemes and their studies,” the MLA from Hawa Mahal told ANI.

He said that during his visit to the school he observed that dress code was followed on occasions like Republic Day.

“The truth is that the dress code is not observed there on occasions like Republic Day, Basant Utsav, annual functions or Independence Day. Why are students coming in burqa and hijab? What is this new rule and regulation? There is a separate madrasa for that. I have only requested that the school administration speak with the students and make them understand,” Acharaya said.

“I would urge the Chief Minister that a dress code be implemented in all schools and that the students come only in their school uniforms,” he said.

Several schoolgirls protested outside the Subhash Chowk police station on Monday demanding that the MLA apologise and an FIR be lodged against him,. They alleged that Acharya told them that hijab was not allowed. Families of some of the students also participated in the protest.

The BJP MLA later released a video, clarifying on what took place during his visit to the school , “I had asked is heard asking the school principal whether the school had two different dress codes. “When a Republic Day function or any government function is held, is there a different dress code? At this rate, even our children will turn up in lehenga chunni,” he said asking in the purported video.