Podcast|Unpacking the Recent Developments in Karnataka Hijab Row

The controversy has quickly turned communal with protestors sporting saffron shawls protesting the wearing of hijab.

Image used for representation only.

(Photo: Chetan Bhakuni/The Quint)

For the past few weeks, the controversy over the wearing of hijab by Muslim students has rippled across coastal Karnataka with multiple incidents now taking place, the issue reaching the high court, and even drawing global attention.

The hijab row has been gaining strength ever since six Muslim girls were denied entry into their classrooms at a Government Pre-University College in Karnataka’s Udupi in January this year for wearing the hijab. But this quickly turned communal after a group of boys, sporting saffron shawls, went to protest against wearing of hijab in the classes.

In another viral video, females students wearing saffron shawls could be heard chanting “jai shri ram” in an act of protest against wearing the hijab.

However, the actions taken by the BJP government in the state and the Karnataka High Court have drawn the biggest criticism.

In today’s episode, The Quint’s South Bureau Chief Nikhila Henry joins me from Udupi to talk about how this controversy started, how it is linked to the politics of the state and what is the ground reality at the moment.

Later in the episode, you will hear from Vakasha Sachdev, The Quint’s Legal Editor to get a breakdown of the state government’s order on the issue and the interim order passed by the Karnataka HC.