Hijab row: Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai calls for peace, says 'let children study'

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday (February 8) asked all concerned to keep the peace and let children study, amid the ongoing controversy over wearing hijab to college.

Speaking to ANI, Karnataka CM said, "All the concerned people (in the Udupi hijab row) should keep the peace and let children study. The matter will be presented in High Court today, let`s wait for it." 

CM Bommai earlier said, "the matter is before the High Court and it will be decided there. Therefore, I appeal to everyone to maintain peace and no one should take steps to disturb peace," adding "All should follow the State's order (on uniform) until the court decides." 

Bommai noted that the Constitution has mentioned in several ways what kind of dress to be worn in schools and colleges and even the state's Education Act has made it clear in the Rules. Asked why the row has refused to die down in the state, the chief minister said that the issue is not limited to Karnataka as it has been discussed in a big way in Kerala and Maharashtra where the matter was decided by the respective high courts.

Meanwhile, Muslim students of the college questioned if the right to education under `Beti Bachao Beti Padhao` is not for them.Claiming that they have been wearing the hijab from the beginning of their college years, a student said, "They talk about `Beti Bachao Beti Padhao`, are they (Hindus) the only betis? Aren`t we the betis? We are the daughters of the country. Why suddenly does the government have a problem with hijab? I have been wearing it for three years here now, why is it a problem now?" 

Another student said that students with saffron stoles were protesting against Muslim girls."They want us thrown away from the college, that is what they are doing this. Why should we have to choose? We have the right to education and the right to practice our religion," she said. 

Another student of the college questioned why the hijab is suddenly an issue."Why are they implementing such rules now when the college is about to end in two months? We were allowed to wear the hijab when we first joined college. Why is it an issue now?" "We are not going to leave Hijab, and we are not going to leave education. It is 75 years since we got freedom and still, we are not free. This is a part of the uniform," she added.

Commenting on the saffron versus the hijab row, the students said, "We never asked them not to wear saffron; they are free to wear it. But it is not compulsory for them...it (hijab) is mandatory for us. We have been wearing it since childhood."

Protests have erupted at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial College in Udupi as students wearing hijab and another group of students wearing saffron stoles-headgears raise slogans on the college campus.

Karnataka State Primary and High School Education Minister BC Nagesh recently said that the students wearing hijab in Kundapura were allowed to enter college premises as a "courtesy" while maintaining that complying with uniform code is a must.

The minister made it clear that the students will need to follow the rules. "Ours is not a Pakistani culture. It is Indian culture. These girls aren`t aware of the school norms and customs, and they will understand later," Nagesh told media persons.

The hijab row started after a few students in Udupi Government Pre-University College started wearing hijab last month and were turned out of classrooms. The students refused to attend classes without hijab and the college administration on the other hand took a firm stand to allow them only if they shun hijab.

At a college at Kundapur in Udupi district of the state, the principal talked to girl students wearing hijabs and explained the government order to them, but the students insisted on wearing the headscarves. The students were later asked to go to a separate room arranged for them.

Meanwhile, some students sporting blue scarves entered a college in Chikkamagaluru, and raised the slogan 'Jai Bhim' in front of those wearing saffron scarves. These students supported the hijab-wearing girls. There were reports of some students in Chikkaballapura, Bagalkote, Belagavi, Hassan and Mandya coming to colleges wearing hijab and saffron scarves in defiance of the government order issued on Saturday banning any cloth other than a uniform.

In Belagavi and Mandya, girls raised slogans demanding justice during a protest rally demanding permission for wearing hijab. 

Reacting to the row on Monday, state Congress chief DK Shivakumar said the controversy over the wearing hijab in colleges is part of a conspiracy to poison the minds of the young people. He told reporters in Mangaluru, "The hijab row is an insult to our country and against the tradition of the land." 

Shivakumar further said the coastal region has its own history, culture and human resources and is known as an educational hub, adding that an attempt is being made to change the tradition and poison young minds by fuelling the hijab row.

Political parties taking advantage of 'hijab' issue: HD Deve Gowda

Former Prime Minister and Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) president HD Deve Gowda has said that political parties in Karnataka are taking advantage of the `Hijab` issue for the 2023 assembly elections. 

Gowda told ANI, "There are some elements that are misleading the students and political parties are taking advantage for 2023 elections. The government can stop this. Such issues divide the nation."

Notably, the Hijab protests began on February 4 at the Government Girls PU college in Udupi district when some students alleged that they had been barred from attending classes as they were wearing hijab. 

(With Agency Inputs)

Live TV