UT Khader, Speaker of the Karnataka Assembly, justified his earlier comments on students cleaning school toilets on Tuesday, January 9. He said that this exercise would impart important lessons on hygiene to the children. 

Speaking to reporters at Naringana near Mangaluru, Khader said that when he was in school, all students, including him, would clean the school toilets, The New Indian Express reports. 

“It was part of our studies. We teach our children also to become self-reliant and not depend on anyone,” he explained. 

He added that it was the responsibility of the school management to provide students with gloves and other cleaning materials so they could safely clean toilets. 

“There is nothing wrong with children cleaning toilets in their school. Mahatma Gandhi's idea of cleanliness and awareness needs to be created among students,” he said, adding the caveat that forcing students to clean toilets is not acceptable. 

Earlier, Khader claimed that there was nothing wrong with students cleaning toilets in schools in response to an incident where students of the Morarji Desai Residential School in the Kolar district were made to clean the toilets. These statements garnered heavy criticism from many. 

When he was asked if he would attend the inauguration of the Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya if he was invited, Khader said, "Let it become an event to instil brotherhood, communal harmony and love among the citizens in the society. If there is an opportunity, anybody can visit the temple.”

“It must unite the people of our society and the nation," he said.