New Delhi, September 21, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Congress leader Udit Raj has backed Italy’s proposed legislation to ban face coverings such as burqas and niqabs in schools, saying it is a matter for Italian society and its education system to decide.
Italy is preparing legislation that would prohibit face coverings in schools, besides proposing measures to limit the number of foreign students in classrooms and requiring some parents to learn Italian. The proposal will require parliamentary approval before it can become law.
Reacting to the proposal, Raj said he believed religious education should not be imparted to anyone until the age of 18, arguing that children should have the freedom to decide their religious identity after reaching adulthood.
“Whether in school or outside school, I believe no religious knowledge should be given to anyone until the age of 18. I am saying this for all of humanity,” Raj said.
He argued that children do not choose their religion, name or caste at birth, saying these identities are determined by parents and society. He said individuals should therefore be allowed to grow up and make their own choice about religion.
On Italy’s proposed restrictions, Raj said Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government and Italian authorities had the right to determine the protocols applicable to their schools, including whether religious symbols should be permitted.
“As far as Meloni and Italy are concerned, it is their society and their education system’s requirement,” he said, adding that if the rules applied uniformly to everyone, there would be no question of discrimination.
Raj also commented on the controversy surrounding former Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari’s recent remarks on Hindu Right-wing communalism, which drew criticism from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Raj said he did not believe Ansari had criticised the Sanatan tradition and questioned what was wrong with his remarks. He referred to similar concerns expressed by former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Dr B.R. Ambedkar, and questioned why Ansari’s Muslim identity was being emphasised in the controversy.
The comments came after Ansari, speaking at an event in New Delhi on Saturday, referred to late constitutional expert and author A.G. Noorani’s 2019 book, The RSS: A Menace to India. Ansari cited remarks attributed to Nehru and documented by former Foreign Secretary Jagat Singh Gundevia, in which Nehru had described Hindu Right-wing communalism as a greater danger to India than communism.
Adityanath criticised Ansari’s remarks on Sunday, describing them as unfortunate and saying they were against India, Indian culture and Indian tradition.
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