Following the recently concluded Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, immigration authorities and police have reportedly intensified scrutiny over foreign passport holders accused of illegally voting in the state using old Indian voter identity cards, as reported in Daily Thanthi.
The development comes after the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), led by Joseph Vijay, emerged as the single largest party and formed the government in Tamil Nadu, with Vijay assuming office as Chief Minister after proving majority support in the Assembly.
According to reports, an unusually large number of overseas Indians travelled to Tamil Nadu during the election period to cast their votes. Suspecting possible electoral irregularities, the Election Commission is said to have discreetly alerted immigration authorities at airports to monitor individuals returning abroad after polling.
Based on the instructions, immigration officials at airports including Chennai, Tiruchirappalli, Coimbatore and Madurai reportedly began closely examining passengers travelling overseas. Authorities specifically checked passengers’ fingers for indelible ink marks used during voting.
Officials reportedly subjected individuals with voting ink marks to detailed questioning. During the inquiry, authorities allegedly found that several persons holding foreign citizenship had cast votes in Tamil Nadu using old Indian voter identity cards, despite no longer being legally eligible to vote in India.
Such individuals were reportedly identified, and details regarding the constituencies where they voted were collected before they were handed over to the respective local police stations for legal action. Cases were registered against them, and they were later released on conditional bail after arrest procedures.
In one such case, immigration officials at Madurai Airport intercepted a couple from the Thiruvadanai region of Ramanathapuram district while they were preparing to travel to Sri Lanka.
The couple, identified as 65-year-old Mohamed Subair and his wife Ahana Beevi, aged 56, allegedly had indelible ink marks on their fingers. During document verification, officials reportedly found that both had obtained Sri Lankan citizenship. However, the inquiry allegedly revealed that they had voted in the Thiruvadanai Assembly constituency during the Tamil Nadu elections.
Following the discovery, the couple was handed over to the Avaniyapuram Police. Police registered a case against them, arrested them and later released them on conditional bail.
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Joseph Vijay claims often that simple and poor people were made MLAs by the people and hence the public can rest assured that the MLAs are here to serve them.
But day in and day out, one TVK MLA after other claims they are poor and did not have money like the rest of the candidates.
KV Kuppam MLA Thendral Kumar
A few days ago, we saw TVK MLA from KV Kuppam claiming he was a poor man, did not own a car and walked without slippers and travelled by the MLA Special bus. A look at his affidavit exposed his lie – his affidavit stated he was worth ₹2.75 crore.
The Humble Driver Who Became The Benami?
One of the most popular personal background stories of the TVK candidates was that of Vijay’s former driver Rajendran’s son getting a ticket.
Now one would think this was very magnanimous of Vijay to recognise the driver’s services. But company filings tell a very different story. Rajendran, presented publicly as merely a driver, appears in Ministry of Corporate Affairs records as a director and shareholder in Vijay-linked firm Jaya Nagar Properties alongside Joseph Vijay and Sangeetha Vijay.
Auto Driver With Luxury Car Royapuram MLA
One of TVK’s most marketable stories was the rise of K.V. Vijay Damu, celebrated as an “ex-auto driver” who defeated heavyweight rivals in Royapuram. But news reports indicate that the same MLA does not own an auto and instead owns an Innova Crysta, undercutting the simplicity of the narrative that helped sell him to voters. If one thought he purchased the vehicles with a loan, no, the affidavit does not show a debt even.
His affidavit on Myneta identifies him as the TVK candidate from Royapuram, lists his profession as “Auto Consulting Business,” and shows total assets of roughly Rs 28.86 lakh.
He also has 4 criminal cases on himself. Well, owning a luxury vehicle does not by itself establish wrongdoing, but it does show that the public-relations image surrounding him deserves far more scrutiny than the slogan-driven storytelling it received during the campaign.
Illegal Quarrying Tirunelveli MLA
The more serious concern comes from Tirunelveli – R.S. Murugan, a TVK MLA publicly linked by anti-corruption campaigners to quarry-related allegations. Jayaram Venkatesan of Arappor stated that a quarry run in the name of Murugan’s wife, Sindhu, was accused of illegal quarrying of 96,000 cubic metres of rough stone, with a reported penalty of Rs 5.7 crore cited from an official report.
Rajmohan
Next in line is Egmore TVK MLA Rajmohan who was also sworn in as a minister in Joseph Vijay’s cabinet. Speaking at an event in Villivakkam, he claimed he was struggling to pay his mother’s house rent, but lo and behold, he was blessed with an MLA seat. But his affidavit says a different story.
At the event, Rajmohan said, “My heart swells. What do I say, what do I leave out? On counting day, what this man Aadhav sir did… Loyola College counting centre had, on one side, Egmore; on another, our constituency; on another, our leader’s constituency Perambur; and on another, Kolathur. Counting was going on everywhere. We went there early morning, completely tensed. First round finishes – we hear the whistle sounds. Second round finishes – again whistles. In the third round we came outside. I saw my dear brother Aadhav, he came running, hugged me and said, ‘Raj, we are leading.’ My eyes filled with joy. Then he said, ‘Do you know something else? In Kolathur also it is only whistle sounds.’ The whistle you blew in Villivakkam travelled through Egmore and continued into Kolathur. I can never forget that day. I spent the night sleepless, wondering what would happen. You asked so many questions in Villivakkam – can we even appoint booth agents, will money reach us? You brought the money, you poured it in, brother, you poured it into Villivakkam. We asked only one question: you gave 100‑crore worth of money to buy votes; if you had spent the same money for doing good in the constituency, would people have voted for you or not? They would have, right? But no. Our people are very sharp.”
He added, “Do you know what they did, these wise people? They took the money you gave and then voted for us. Victory, victory, victory – wherever we turned there was victory. For the first time the Assembly saw a revolution. I got a call. My leader who is the sone of a dharma‑thai, a son borne out of penance, my leader, spoke: ‘I have kept a gift for you, come tomorrow.’ I thought maybe he would give me a pen or something. Next morning I saw a dignified police vehicle coming in front, they said it was the petrol vehicle. They saluted, everyone joined their hands to me. I was happy: fine, I have become an MLA. I went inside the House, and on that seat it was written: ‘Honourable Minister’ – and this poor man’s name was written there. With just one phone call… The previous month I had been wondering what to do to pay the rent for my mother’s house next month. The pride of making me a minister belongs only to my leader and to no one else.”
According to the affidavit, Rajmohan declared total assets exceeding ₹2 crore, including movable assets worth around ₹1.64 crore and immovable assets valued at ₹39 lakh. The affidavit also shows that he owns a residential apartment in Natesan Nagar, Virugambakkam.
Source: MyNeta
The property details in the affidavit mention a flat located at “L Block Second Floor, Door No. 9, LIG Taisha West, Natesan Nagar, Virugambakkam,” purchased in March 2025 for ₹30 lakh, with the current declared market value listed at ₹32 lakh.
Source: MyNeta
Now one wonders why Rajmohan would struggle to pay rent if he already owned a residential property in Chennai.
The affidavit further states that Rajmohan declared taxable income of ₹23.7 lakh for the financial year 2024–25, compared to ₹9.2 lakh in 2023–24 and ₹11.38 lakh in 2022–23.
Source: MyNetaSource: MyNeta
His declared movable assets include:
Bank deposits of around ₹2.2 lakh
Gold jewellery weighing 800 grams valued at approximately ₹1.08 crore
Around 4 kg of silver valued at nearly ₹9.8 lakh
A Ford Figo Aspire car valued at ₹7 lakh
LIC insurance policy worth ₹10 lakh
The affidavit also records total liabilities of approximately ₹30 lakh.
Now, TVK Minister @imrajmohan says he doesn’t have money to pay house rent.
But as per his own election affidavit, he owns an apartment in Natesan Nagar, Virugampakkam – they why should be pay rent for the same ?
For a person seen as intellectual and hardworking, this kind of…
Yet again, another lie about humble backgrounds gets exposed.
For a party that built much of its image around simplicity, honesty and “ordinary people” entering politics, such contradictions risk damaging credibility. Repeatedly projecting wealthy candidates as financially helpless “common men” amounts to emotional political branding rather than transparency. In the end, one question lingers: if affidavits and speeches tell two different stories, which version should the public believe?
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VD Satheesan, one of the most prominent faces of the Congress party in Kerala, has emerged as the central figure in the United Democratic Front’s (UDF) political resurgence and is the Chief Minister-designate following the coalition’s 2026 Assembly victory.
Born on 31 May 1964 in Nettoor in Ernakulam district, Satheesan entered politics through the Kerala Students Union (KSU) and steadily rose through the ranks of student and youth politics before becoming a full-time Congress leader. A lawyer by profession, he first won the Paravur Assembly constituency in 2001 and has retained the seat ever since.
Within the Kerala Assembly, Satheesan built a reputation as an aggressive debater and organisational strategist. In 2021, despite never having served as a minister, he was chosen as Leader of the Opposition, a move seen as a generational shift within the Kerala Congress.
However, alongside his rise in state politics, Satheesan has also found himself at the centre of multiple controversies involving religion, minority politics, secularism, and alleged political opportunism.
Prophet Muhammad Remarks Trigger Backlash
One of the biggest controversies erupted in April 2026 after a viral video clip showed Satheesan praising Prophet Muhammad for allegedly predicting scientific facts centuries before modern science confirmed them.
In the clip, Satheesan stated: “Even in the era when people widely believed that the Earth was flat, the Prophet said that it is a sphere revolving around the Sun in an orbit. Science proved that only later.”
The remarks triggered criticism on social media, with opponents accusing the Congress leader of making exaggerated religious claims to appease Muslim voters and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a crucial UDF ally.
Jamaat-e-Islami Controversy
Satheesan also came under fire over the Congress party’s political engagement with Jamaat-e-Islami-backed groups in Kerala. The controversy intensified after Jamaat-e-Islami leader Shaikh Muhammed Karakunnu publicly defended the concept of an “Islamic Republic” in a Facebook post in January 2026.
Satheesan’s earlier defence of accepting support from Jamaat-e-Islami-linked organisations can be pointed out here. Satheesan had argued that the group had changed its ideological position and was no longer advocating a theocratic state.
“They are not raising the demand for a theocratic state anymore. They have made significant changes to their stance. Their support is now purely political,” Satheesan had said.
Remarks on Arrested Nuns
In 2025, Satheesan strongly criticised the arrest of two Malayali nuns in BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh, calling it a “mob trial” and alleging police persecution under the BJP government.
He claimed clergy had advised nuns not to wear religious habits in public due to fear and threats and described the situation as evidence of rising religious intolerance.
The remarks were welcomed by Christian organisations and opposition supporters, but BJP leaders accused him of politicising the issue and attacking BJP-ruled states for ideological reasons.
Bogus Voter ID Allegations
Satheesan’s name also surfaced in a political controversy ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections after Kerala BJP president K. Surendran alleged that Congress leaders, including Satheesan and K C Venugopal, were aware of a large-scale fake voter ID card operation linked to Youth Congress internal elections.
According to the allegations, over 1.25 lakh fake voter ID cards were allegedly created using a mobile application associated with Congress functionaries. Complaints from Youth Congress election candidates reportedly claimed forged identity cards were used to manipulate internal party elections.
Congress’s New Power Centre
Despite the controversies, Satheesan has successfully consolidated himself as the dominant face of the Kerala Congress, especially after internal leadership battles involving senior leaders such as Ramesh Chennithala and K. C. Venugopal.
His rise is mostly through his balancing of minority appeasement politics with aggressive anti-BJP positioning to strengthen the Congress-led UDF coalition in Kerala.
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A decade or so ago, there was a buzz in the media about actor Jai frequenting dargahs often very much similar to singer Yuvan Shankar Raja. It is noteworthy that Yuvan Shankar had then converted to Islam.
Following suit, Jai too announced his conversion to the abrahamic religion. This change was seemingly seen even before his role in the film Thirumanam Ennum Nikkah where he immersed himself in an Islamic environment in an attempt to woo the heroine.
Cut to 2026, in an interview with film critic Baradwaj Rangan, Jai shared what made him change his religion.
When asked whether he changed his religion because he was going through troubles in life, Jai said, “It is not like that. You mentioned 2016, but I actually started following it with interest from 2011. So, even before that, the change came. There were many things. I have worn mala for Sabarimala. Then I have worn the rosary mala for Jesus and done fasting for one year. For me, I was following everything as ‘all gods are okay.’ But at one time, there were some humiliating experiences, and in some temples there was a kind of unexpected dissatisfaction. Many such things kept happening. Then one time when I went to a mosque, everyone stood in a line and prayed. It was my first time going there, and everyone was praying. Everyone there knew I was an actor, but no one inside the mosque came and spoke to me. Only after coming out, people spoke to me very politely. No one asked to take a photo with me. So I felt, maybe there is an equality here, that everyone is seen as equal. That was the first strong feeling I got. Plus, I realized that for them only God is big; no matter how big a celebrity comes there, they do not treat them as bigger than God. I understood that when we want to ask for what we wish for, they give us space and time to do that. We can pray for whatever we think in our hearts, and no one will say, ‘Enough, stop praying and leave.’ We can pray as long as we want and then go. All this made me feel, this is nice, this is great, it feels like yoga. That is how I initially understood it at that time. Then, as I continued to follow it, even my personal character slowly started to change.”
It is noteworthy that Jai acted in the Dravidoid propaganda film where he played the role of ‘Farhaan’ and was the heroine Annapoorani, a Brahmin’s bestie. In the film, he eggs the girl to defy her parents’ wishes regarding her choice between studying for an MBA or catering, citing that she should not listen to her parents anymore and should start following her own desires. He even justified meat consumption by “quoting” slokas from Valmiki Ramayana, highlighting instances of Rama, Lakshmana hunting animals in the forest and eating meat with Devi Sita; that Lord Murugan disguised as a hunter (vedan) in one of his avatars, and Kannappa Nayanar offering pork to Lord Shiva. This “convinces” our heroine to touch and taste meat and achieve her goal of becoming a world-class chef.
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Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay’s astrologer and the one who was appointed (and then revoked) as an OSD Radhan Pandit has sparked fresh political debate after making a series of predictions about Vijay’s future role in national politics during an exclusive interview with Thanthi TV.
Speaking during the interview, Radhan Pandit claimed that “It will be difficult for Modi to become Prime Minister in 2029…” and said, “Rahul possesses only a quarter of the astrological fortune that Modi enjoys. In 2029, Modi will be undergoing his ‘Rahu Dasha’ and ‘Rahu Bhukti’ periods. It will be difficult for him to become Prime Minister. A ‘Third Front’ is certain to emerge. At that time, Vijay will be at the very pinnacle of his astrological fortune.”
TN Chief Minister’s astrologer and special advisor Radhan Pandit has now predicted TVK’s roadmap to make Vijay the Prime Minister of India in 2029.
His statements include:
• Rahul Gandhi has no luck to become Prime Minister of India.
(Interestingly, Rahul Gandhi was the… pic.twitter.com/UDb3rjAIjn
He further stated, “CM Vijay has the fortune to become PM…” and added, “Chief Minister Vijay possesses the fortune to rise to the level of Prime Minister. CM Vijay’s horoscope shines with a brilliance equivalent to about one-quarter of PM Modi’s own radiance. For the next 30 to 40 years, he will remain unrivaled.”
“CM விஜய்க்கு PM ஆகும் யோகம்..”
“முதல்வர் விஜய்க்கு பிரதமர் ஆகும் அளவுக்கு யோகம் இருக்கிறது. PM மோடியின் ஜெராக்ஸ் காப்பி போல இருக்கிறது CM விஜய்யின் ஜாதகம். இன்னும் 30 – 40 ஆண்டுகளுக்கு அவர் போட்டியே இல்லாமல் வாழ்வார்..”
Radhan Pandit also claimed that he had predicted Vijay’s political rise long before the actor entered active politics. According to him, he had told Vijay after the launch of TVK that “even if you sleep and wake up on 15 May 2026, you will become Chief Minister,” suggesting that Vijay’s rise was destined regardless of political groundwork.
During the interview, Pandit said he had continuously motivated members of the party by repeatedly predicting Vijay’s victory at a time when, according to him, few others believed it was possible.
His remarks also included sharp observations on national opposition politics. He claimed that Rahul Gandhi did not possess the “luck” required to become Prime Minister, despite Rahul Gandhi being among the first national leaders to publicly support TVK and attend Vijay’s swearing-in ceremony.
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A few days ago, Tamil Nadu CM Joseph Vijay appointed his personal astrologer Rickey Radhan Pandit Vettrivel as ‘Officer on Special Duty’ to Chief Minister. But within 24 houts following backlash from the public and alliance partners and opposition parties, the decision was revoked.
Following this, Randhan Pandit has been giving interviews to various channels. Among them, he spoke to Galatta Voice where he made a series of extraordinary claims about Vijay’s political future, predicting that the TVK leader would eventually rise beyond the position of Prime Minister and emerge as a global leader.
Radhan Pandit said, “He (Vijay) will remain Chief Minister for another 50 years. He will then ascend to a different level entirely. As far as he is concerned, the position of Chief Minister is merely an ordinary post, it is just one state out of thirty.”
He further claimed that Vijay’s political journey would eventually move to the national and global stage. “So, what comes next? The Delhi level. And after that? A leader for the entire world. I am saying he will transcend even the PM level. He will go beyond the role of Prime Minister; he will become a global leader,” he said.
Drawing a comparison with world leaders, Radhan Pandit added, “For instance, if a conflict were to arise tomorrow, say, between the American President and the Russian President – he could step in to mediate. Why shouldn’t he?”
Explaining his view of leadership, Radhan Pandit said, “Who is a true leader? It is someone around whom crowds gather spontaneously. A leader is someone who recognizes the inherent goodness within that gathering. In his case, crowds gather around him naturally, and he perceives the positive energy within those crowds.”
He further claimed that Vijay’s popularity had already crossed regional and social boundaries. “Today, he is based in Tamil Nadu, yet we admire and celebrate him – transcending all barriers of caste, religion, and language,” he said.
Referring to neighbouring states, Radhan Pandit added, “In reality, we are surrounded by four states: Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and the others in this region. It seems to me that the youth across all these four states share this very same sense of awakening and enthusiasm.”
He claimed this growing popularity would eventually elevate Vijay from a regional figure to a national and global leader. “That being the case, one could rightly describe him as a leader for South India. Eventually, he will evolve into a leader for the entire nation—India,” he said.
Praising Vijay’s integrity, Radhan Pandit stated, “And as he steps into that role as a national leader, he will lead a life of absolute integrity, without accepting a single penny in bribes. He would not accept a bribe, not even a single paisa. He would never commit a wrong, under any circumstances.”
“When a leader of such integrity emerges in India, one who never errs, tell me: will he not rise to become a global leader?” he asked.
On the possibility of a future political rivalry between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vijay, Radhan Pandit dismissed the idea. “So, does this mean it will be Modi versus Vijay in the future? Well, Mr. Modi has already crossed the age of 75. If you look at his age, he is over 75; there is a difference of about 25 years between him and Vijay,” he said.
“Our Vijay is practically like Mr. Modi’s son; and there is no rivalry between a father and a son. Vijay will face absolutely no competition. At the national level, he will have no rivals whatsoever. None at all. He is unopposed. This is his domain now; this is his position,” he added.
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Traffic came to a standstill in Krishnagiri after supporters of TVK MLA Mukund Pandian allegedly held a grand welcome procession on his return from Chennai, causing inconvenience to motorists in the scorching heat.
Despite instructions reportedly issued by the party leadership asking cadres not to conduct victory celebrations in a manner that disturbs the public, a large number of party workers gathered at the Aindhu Roundana area to receive the MLA.
According to reports, TVK cadres burst loud firecrackers in the middle of the road and took out a procession accompanied by drums and music, leading to chaos and severe traffic congestion in the locality. Motorists were left stranded for a long time as vehicles piled up on the busy stretch.
Just a few days ago, traffic was disrupted in Thirukovilur after Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) functionaries gathered on a public road and burst firecrackers during celebrations held for the birthday of Kallakurichi district secretary Barani Balaji.
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DMK mouthpiece Sun News has been targeting the TVK for quite some time. But it has not stopped spreading fake news about the BJP even today.
On 14 May 2026, the X handle of the ‘news channel’ shared a news card relating to the murder of a woman councillor in Arani. The graphic identified one of the accused as being associated with the BJP Youth Wing, alongside images and political branding that created a misleading political narrative around the crime.
Responding strongly, BJP leader and State President of BJP Youth Wing SG Suryah stated that the individual mentioned in the report currently has “absolutely no connection” with the BJP Youth Wing and accused Sun News of dragging the party into a criminal case without verification.
In a statement issued online, he alleged that “spreading fake news seems to be the only full-time job of Sun News” and condemned what he described as an attempt to tarnish the party’s reputation for political purposes.
He further demanded that the media outlet immediately remove the “fabricated” post and warned of legal action if the content was not taken down.
The statement said the accused person had no present association whatsoever with the BJP Youth Wing and accused the channel of engaging in irresponsible reporting by unnecessarily inserting the BJP into the controversy.
Spreading fake news seems to be the only full-time job of @sunnewstamil. The individual mentioned in this news has absolutely zero relationship with the BJP Youth Wing currently. Unnecessarily dragging the BJP into this and attempting to tarnish the party’s reputation is highly… https://t.co/PINs4VdB6zpic.twitter.com/BrGyNlf4i2
Officials at the HR&CE-administered Arulmigu Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram have suspended six employees after an internal inquiry allegedly uncovered large-scale irregularities in the temple’s laddu prasadam preparation, sales and free distribution system, with estimated losses pegged at ₹3.40 crore.
According to temple authorities, the temple distributes 1,520 laddus weighing 30 grams each every day as free prasadam to devotees. In addition, 50-gram laddus are sold through a counter inside the temple premises at ₹15 each. An assistant-level employee identified as Panchamoorthy had reportedly been assigned responsibility for supervising laddu sales operations, as reported in Tamilurl.
The irregularities allegedly came to light following an inspection conducted at the temple’s laddu preparation unit on March 14 by officials of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department. During the inspection, authorities reportedly found discrepancies and shortages in the stock of raw materials used for preparing laddus.
The subsequent inquiry found that laddu sales between 2023 and February 2026 had allegedly been under-reported in official accounts, while actual sales figures appeared significantly higher following the inspection. Officials suspect that additional laddus were prepared and sold outside officially recorded numbers and that the proceeds were diverted without being entered into temple accounts.
According to the inquiry report, nearly 22.71 lakh laddus were allegedly sold in this manner over a three-year period, resulting in an estimated financial loss of ₹3,40,65,000 to the temple administration.
Following the findings, Joint Commissioner Chellathurai ordered the suspension of six individuals pending further investigation. Those suspended include Panchamoorthy, his son Vikram, and sales staff members Sivaneswari, Selvi, Lavanya and Ambika.
Temple authorities said a detailed departmental inquiry is under way and that further action may follow based on the outcome of the investigation.
Serious irregularities have been reported in the laddu prasadam distribution at Ramanathaswamy Temple, Rameswaram. Six employees were suspended following allegations of misappropriation in paid and free laddu schemes. Officials suspect diversion of materials and illegal sale of… pic.twitter.com/PHZUbxUPif
Karnataka Congress Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday, 14 May 2026, attempted to defend his government’s controversial decision to revoke the Hijab ban in government educational institutions, while simultaneously stating that saffron shawls would not be permitted in schools and colleges, as reported in The New Indian Express.
The clarification came a day after the Congress government formally scrapped the 2022 order introduced under the BJP administration following the Hijab-versus-saffron shawl controversy that had erupted across Karnataka.
Speaking to reporters in Mysuru, Siddaramaiah said that practices “already in existence” such as hijab, turbans, rudraksha beads, Shivadhara and sacred thread (Janeu) would continue to be allowed in educational institutions up to Class 12. However, he made it clear that saffron shawls would not receive the same treatment.
“Saffron shawls are not allowed. Those shawls cannot be worn. Turbans, sacred thread, Shiva dhara, rudraksha, and hijab can also be worn,” Siddaramaiah said.
The Congress government’s move has triggered sharp criticism from opposition parties and Hindu organisations, many of whom accused the state government of engaging in blatant appeasement politics while selectively targeting expressions associated with Hindu identity.
While the government restored permission for visible Islamic religious attire like the hijab, it simultaneously moved to prohibit saffron shawls that emerged during the earlier protests as a symbolic response from Hindu students demanding equal treatment.
A section of Hindu right-wing organisations had warned that if hijabs were permitted again in classrooms, Hindu students too should be allowed to wear saffron shawls. Siddaramaiah, however, rejected the demand.
Asked whether saffron turbans or similar Hindu identity symbols would be allowed, the Chief Minister said only practices already existing historically could continue and that “nothing new can be introduced.”
“See, it is not just the hijab. People can also wear sacred threads, Shivadhara rudraksha beads – everyone can wear things according to their beliefs. This is allowed up to Class 12, whether it is high school, college or primary school. It applies to all. When we say turbans, we mean practices that already exist. Nothing new can be introduced. Only those practices and beliefs that already exist till now are allowed,” he said.
Students in #Karnataka will NOT be allowed to wear saffron shawls as part of the school uniforms, said CM Siddaramaiah.
The Karnataka government’s order issued on Wednesday permits students to wear hijab, sacred threads, Shivadhara and rudraksha in schools and colleges, effectively reversing the BJP-era restrictions imposed during the height of the 2022 controversy.
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