Uttar Pradesh Minister of State for Labour and Employment Raghuraj Pratap Singh triggered another controversy on Tuesday when he made remarks against the Muslim community regarding the upcoming festival of Holi, which is scheduled to be held on March 14, 2025.
Raghuraj Singh suggested that those who want to avoid Holi colours should wear a “tarpaulin hijab’ or stay at their homes. He said that mosques are covered with tarpaulin on Holi and women wear hijabs, similarly, people who wish to avoid Holi colours can wear a hijab before leaving their homes.
“If you want to avoid colour on Holi, then wear a hijab of tarpaulin before you step out of your homes,” Raghuraj Singh said while speaking to the media.
Singh also mentioned that a temple would be built in Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). He said, ”I will invest my full property to build a Ram temple in AMU, and I will lay the first brick for it.”
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Slamming the statement of the UP minister Maulana Shahabuddin Rizvi, the National President of All India Muslim Jamaat, said that hijab is not only worn by Muslim women - many Hindu women also cover their heads in rural areas, including states like Rajasthan, Punjab, and Haryana.
"On one hand, the Prime Minister advocates for women's respect and rights, while on the other, a minister from Uttar Pradesh demeans women with such remarks," Maulana Rizvi said.
Congress leader Rashid Alvi said, "I question, has any Muslim ever raised an objection to Holi? You can only respond if a Muslim specifically says they have a problem with Holi."
AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak said, "I would like to tell the Uttar Pradesh minister to focus on work. The public has given you the responsibility to work and govern, not to get involved in unnecessary issues."