The Karnataka government has put the “Best Principal” award on hold after the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) raised objections, citing the recipient’s involvement in the hijab controversy.

The state had previously announced that B.G. Ramakrishna, principal of Government PU College, Kundapur, was among the recipients of the award for the year.

Ramakrishna had been criticized for allegedly barring students wearing headscarves from entering the classroom for months. However, the principal has stated that the award has not been withdrawn.

The Department of School Education and Literacy explained that the award may be delayed due to “technical issues,” though it did not provide specific reasons.

Ramakrishna and A. Rame Gowda, principal of Hunsur PU College in Mysuru district, were set to receive the award on Teacher’s Day.

The controversy arose when the SDPI objected to Ramakrishna’s selection, linking him to the hijab issue in a social media post. Following this, Ramakrishna claimed he had received hate messages from unknown numbers.

SDPI Dakshina Kannada president, Anwar Sadath Bajathur, expressed his concerns on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter), stating: “The principal who made Muslim students stand outside in the sun for months for wearing the hijab lacks the moral right to be a principal. Why has the Congress government nominated him for a state award?”

Source: TOI

Also read: BJP questions Karnataka’s hijab ban lift