Hijab row | 'Unnecessary...': What Vice President Naidu said on Karnataka controversy

Amid the raging hijab controversy in Karnataka, Vice President of India M. Venkaiah Naidu apparently waded into the debate.

At a school event in Bengaluru, Naidu reportedly said that students should be guided by school uniform and unnecessary controversies should not be encouraged. Naidu reportedly said that spirituality does not mean religion, and that religion is personal choice but culture, heritage, and 'dharma' or duty should be followed in life.

The Vice President said that people should remember that they are Indians first, and there should not by any discrimination. Naidu invoked slogans like 'Vividhata mein Ekta, Bharat Ki Visheshta', which means unity in diversity is India’s specialty, and 'Alag Bhasha, Alag Vesh; Phir Bhi Apna Ek Desh, which means that even with different languages, and different clothes, we remain one nation.

The Vice President was speaking after inauguration of an indoor sports arena at a private school on February 26.

On February 25, the Karnataka High Court reserved judgment following around 2 weeks of arguments after a group of students filed a petition challenging the ban on hijab inside classrooms.