Maharashtra Minister Nitesh Rane has urged the state government to ban burqas at examination centres for 10th and 12th board exams, citing concerns about cheating. He wrote a letter to Education Minister Dada Bhuse on Wednesday, demanding uniform rules for Hindu and Muslim students.
“Our government, which follows Hindutva ideology, will not tolerate the politics of appeasement,” Rane told ANI. “The rules that apply to Hindu students should apply to Muslim students as well. Those who want to wear a burqa or hijab can do so at home, but at the examination centres, they should write their exams like other students.”
Rane, who serves as Maharashtra’s Minister for Fisheries and Ports, claimed that incidents of cheating have occurred due to students wearing burqas.
“There have been cases of cheating and copying. This should not happen in Maharashtra, so I have written a letter to the education minister,” he said.
The statement has triggered strong reactions from opposition leaders and Muslim scholars, who argue that the proposal targets religious freedom.
When asked about the criticism, Rane responded: “They should go to Pakistan if they want to take exams wearing a burqa. We follow a constitution drafted by Babasaheb Ambedkar, not Sharia law.”
The demand for a burqa ban in exam centres has reignited the hijab debate in India, with concerns over religious freedom and students’ rights. The state government has not yet responded to the letter.
