'Wearing Short Clothes Causes Problems': Telangana Minister's Remark Sparks Row

Women college students in Hyderabad who reached the exam centre on Friday wearing burqas claimed that the staff of the KV Ranga Reddy Degree College for women refused to allow them to appear for the exam. They were further made to wait for 30 minutes and asked to remove their burqas before they were permitted to take the exam.

Following this, Telangana Home Minister Mohammad Mahmood Ali remarked that women must cover themselves as much as possible. When he was asked to comment on the issue that happened at KV Ranga Reddy College, he said that problems arise only if women wear short dresses.

Telangana Minister On Dress Code

At the inauguration of the ward office in Azampura, the Telangana Home Minister clarified the controversy, saying that the government follows a secular policy and that this might be the headmaster's or principal’s rule. He also stated that nowhere is it written that women cannot wear burqas. He assured that the issue would be investigated and the necessary action would be taken.

"People can wear whatever they want, but if you wear European clothes, it’ll not be correct. We should wear good clothes," said the minister. He suggested that women wearing traditional clothing would garner respect. He added, "Women, especially, wearing short clothes causes problems; people feel relaxed by wearing more clothes." This remark has stirred some controversy, and his "misogynistic" comment was called out on social media.

Students Asked To Remove Burqa During Exam

A few female students went to the exam centre at KV Ranga Reddy College for women on Friday wearing burqas to write the Urdu medium exam. The staff at the exam centre directed the students to remove their burqas before entering the examination hall. The students alleged that they were made to wait for half an hour and were allowed to take their exams only after they removed the burqas. Reports even claim that the women students staged a protest against the college management for forcing them to remove their burqa before appearing for the exam.

The incident reportedly anguished many women students and their parents. Parents of these students claimed that their children were targeted because they were wearing burqas and accused the college management of being insensitive towards their request.

Suggested Reading: Karnataka Hijab Row: Women Being Deprived Of Education For The Sake Of Agenda

Image Credits: India Today and Screengrab from ANI video