The hijab controversy does not seem to stop (File)
Bangalore:
The hijab controversy continues in only eight high schools and pre-university colleges out of a total of 75,000, the Karnataka government said on Thursday, expressing confidence to resolve the issue.
The High Court, in its interim order, last week barred all students from wearing saffron shawls, scarves, hijabs and any religious flag inside the classroom, pending consideration of all petitions related to the hijab controversy.
However, the controversy did not seem to stop as some students remained adamant on allowing them to attend classes wearing ‘hijab’ and ‘burqa’ on Thursday as well.
Karnataka Primary and Secondary Education Minister BC Nagesh told the media that the “problem” is limited to only a handful of high schools and pre-university colleges.
“Out of 75,000 schools and colleges, eight colleges continue to have a problem. We will solve it. We are happy that all the students have complied with our order,” he said.
Tension prevailed at Sarala Devi College in Ballari as parents and students staged a sit-in in front of the institute, as students in burqa were not allowed inside, officials cited the court order.
The protesters dispersed after being persuaded by the police and lawyers.
At the Vijay Institute of Para Medical Sciences in Belagavi, the agitation sparked tension.
Six people were arrested for shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ in front of the college.
According to the police, many people who were not associated with the college took part in the protest. The police took them into custody after their identification.
In Chitradurga Women’s PU College, the girl students staged a protest outside the institution.
A student complained that he was not allowed inside his ‘own college’.
“Aren’t we students of this college? We have been coming here for five years. The court has given only a temporary order (banning the use of hijab and saffron scarves). Our only request is that we will remove the burqa but we Will wear hijab. If we are not allowed inside, we will sit outside everyday.”
Another student said that he had to appear in the preliminary examination but due to the ban, he had to sit in the scorching sun.
In Chikkamagaluru, students took out a rally and tried to know why Hindus were allowed to use the “religious symbol of bindi and bangles” if there were any restrictions.
On January 1, six girl students of a college in Udupi participated in a press conference organized by the Campus Front of India (CFI) in the coastal town after the college authorities refused to enter the classroom wearing hijab.
It was four days later that he requested the principal to allow him to wear the hijab in classes, which was denied. The principal of the college, Rudra Gowda, had said that till then students used to come to the campus wearing hijabs and removing scarves to enter the class.
“There was no rule on wearing hijab in the institution and since in the last 35 years no one wore it in class. The students who came up with the demand had the support of outside forces,” Rudre Gowda had said.
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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