Kerala Education Minister V. Sivankutty has stepped in to resolve the hijab controversy that erupted at St. Rita’s Public School in Palluruthy, assuring the family of the affected student that the state government will ensure her right to education is upheld.
“If the parents of the girl come to us, we will make arrangements to admit her to any government school,” Sivankutty said on Saturday, reaffirming the government’s commitment to protecting students’ rights regardless of religious attire. His statement followed the family’s decision not to send their daughter back to St. Rita’s after she was reportedly barred from entering the campus for wearing a hijab, which the school claimed violated its uniform policy.
The incident sparked outrage across Kerala earlier this week, with the student’s parents alleging that their daughter faced “mental harassment” from school authorities. Complaints were lodged with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Education Minister Sivankutty, seeking immediate intervention.
Sivankutty, who had earlier accused the school of “misleading the government” on a matter involving fundamental rights, reiterated that no institution has the authority to deny education based on religious expression. “The government will not tolerate any action that disrupts a child’s education or infringes upon her constitutional rights,” he asserted.
Meanwhile, senior Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader P.K. Kunhalikutty condemned the school’s actions, calling them “a reflection of growing intolerance.” He said, “It is wrong for one community to dictate what members of other communities should wear in a school. This issue should have been resolved through dialogue and understanding, not through rigid enforcement of rules.”
Kunhalikutty also criticised the school’s press conference, saying, “A hijab is just a small piece of cloth on a child’s head — no different from the veil worn by nuns. Unfortunately, a child’s education was disrupted because someone feared a headscarf. Such things should not happen in Kerala.”
