Lucknow: Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Wednesday urged people to avoid critical remarks on sensitive religious matters amid the ongoing hijab row, saying restraint would serve the country and the public interest.In a post on X, Mayawati said secular Constitution framed under the leadership of Babasaheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar laid the foundation for a strong and united India by guaranteeing equal rights to people of all castes and religions. She said the constitutional framework allows every person to live peacefully and follow their religious scriptures, customs and beliefs, and called for respect for their sanctity rather than interference.Referring to women’s dignity and self-respect, she said issues connected to honour and practices such as “purdah” should be handled with sensitivity. On the question of uniforms and the wearing of purdah, headscarves or hijabs in schools, Mayawati said such matters should be settled at the local level through mutual understanding and wisdom between school managements and the administration. She added that the issue should not be allowed to escalate into litigation, arguing that taking such disputes to court creates scope for them to be “blown out of proportion” and exploited for narrow political gains.Separately, commenting on the dispute and tension in Budaun over the installation of an Ambedkar statue, the BSP chief said the administration should move immediately to find a peaceful and appropriate solution.
