INDIA: As the debate over the wearing of hijabs in educational institutions in Karnataka heats up, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai issued an appeal for calm, urging all parties involved to “let children study.” Bommai stated that the case would be heard in the high court today. He further urged everyone to wait for the court’s ruling.
As the ‘hijab’ controversy continues to rage across the state, all eyes are now on the Karnataka High Court, which will hear the petition.
A group of Muslim girls is demanding that they be allowed to wear headscarves to college, while the state government has cracked the whip, making uniforms mandatory for students enrolled in educational institutions.
Several incidents have occurred in the last few days, particularly in coastal Karnataka, where Muslim girl students wearing hijab were not allowed into classes, and Hindu boys and girls wearing saffron shawls were also barred from classes.
The problem, which began in January at a Government PU College in Udupi when six students were expelled for wearing headscarves in violation of the dress code, has spread to a few other colleges in the city as well as nearby Kundapur and Byndoor.
State Education Minister CT Ravi has maintained the government’s stance on hijabs, stating that schools and colleges should have a uniform code.
Hijab vs saffron
Meanwhile, a clash between Hijab-wearing girls and saffron shawl-wearing students has been reported in Shivamogga. Many students at the Shivamogga government PU college are demanding that the head scarf be prohibited in the classroom.
Girls wearing hijab are requesting permission to attend college classes while wearing headscarf, claiming that their studies are being jeopardized ahead of important exams.
In another incident, Bajrang Dal members distributed saffron shawls outside PU college in Hassan.
Students wearing the muslim head scarf refused to remove their headscarf before entering the classroom, and the Principal and teaching staff had to persuade both parties to enter the classroom without the hijab and shawl. The muslim girls on the other hand, left the campus after Bajrang Dal members entered.
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