Bengaluru: The hijab row in the State is snowballing into greater controversy threatening to take a political colour. On Saturday February 5, Hindu as well as Muslim students took to streets, with one group demanding permission to wear hijab in classes and another group demanding to permit saffron shawls if hijab is allowed.
Hundreds of students, including boys and girls took out a procession in Kundapur, Udupi District wearing saffron shawls and raised slogans of ‘Jai Sriram’, ‘Jai Lakshmi Bai’ etc.
Later, the students were sent back to their homes by the police.
Large group of students and activists staged a protest in front of office of the District Commissioner in Kalaburagi, under the leadership of Congress MLA Kaneez Fathima, condemning the move to deny entry to Muslim students for wearing hijab.
MLA Kaneez Fathima challenged the ruling BJP government to stop her from wearing hijab. “I will attend an assembly session in hijab. If they (BJP) have strength let them stop me. We will see how they will ban hijab, it is our right,” she said.
The row on hijab surfaced in the State after few Muslim students insisted that they wanted to attend classes by wearing hijab at a Pre-University College in Udupi District, but were denied entry.
Meanwhile, amid the row, the State Government on Saturday issued a circular on uniform, reiterating its earlier stand that all government schools should follow the uniform dress code, declared by the State Government.
Stating that students from private institutions should follow the dress code decided by the school management, it said colleges would follow the dress code decided by the college development board. In case of no such code, students can wear the dress which does not affect equality, integrity and law and order, the circular stated.
The students have approached the High Court and the ruling BJP Government has set up a high level committee to look into the issue.
