‘Students Should Leave This Hijab Issue; Concentrate on Education’: Karnataka CM

Muslim students of a Mangalore degree college had submitted a memorandum to allow hijab in classrooms.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai

Photo: Accessed by The Quint

Days after Muslim students of a Mangalore college submitted a memorandum to allow the wearing of hijab in classrooms, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday, 28 May, urged students to abide by the high court judgment in the matter, reported news agency ANI.

Bommai said, “There is no need of raising an issue. Court has already given its judgment. Everyone is following it, 99.99 percent have followed. Whatever decision they take, it has to be followed. Students should leave all this Hijab issue and concentrate on their education.”

Muslim girls students of University College in Mangalore had written to the vice-chancellor of the university asking him to allow students wearing hijab inside classrooms.

However, they have been denied permission and were asked to approach the deputy commissioner.

They had later approached the deputy commissioner, writing their concerns to him and asking for an immediate solution in this regard, so that they can resume their studies.

The degree college, on 16 May, issued a ban on hijab or a headscarf inside the campus.

Hindu Students Protest Hijab, Boycott Classes

Meanwhile, the Hindu students of the university staged a protest on Thursday, 26 May, against Muslim female students for having worn hijab to the classroom.

Condemning the university authorities for not implementing the hijab ban order by the Karnataka High Court, the students called for suspension of Muslim female students.

Opposing the Muslim students wearing the hijab, Hindu students boycotted the class and started protesting in front of the university campus.

The students have also said that they would not attend any of the classes unless the matter is resolved.

Earlier in March, the Karnataka High Court bench comprising Justices JM Khazi and Krishna Dixit and led by Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi had ruled that wearing a hijab was not essential to Islam and that no compelling case was made out for invalidating the government order against it.

(With inputs from ANI.)