As schools reopened in Karnataka on Monday, 14 February, after a five-day break due to the hijab row, the students of schools in Shimoga and Udupi refused to remove the hijab.
The Karnataka high court order on ban on religious clothing has led to Muslim students missing out on classes on the first day the schools reopened after closure.
In Shimoga, 13 students from the Government High School refused to take the SSLC (Class 10) preparatory examination after being asked to remove hijab, IANS reported.
However, the majority of students and teachers in schools across the state removed their hijabs before entering the educational institutions, as per the court order.
Students of the Women's Government PU College, Udupi where the hijab row had first begun, wore hijabs till the campus gates and removed them before entering the classrooms.
Meanwhile, pre-university colleges and degree colleges will reopen in the state from 16 February, Primary and Secondary Education Minister BC Nagesh announced on Monday.
CM Bommai Warns Against Trouble
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday warned troublemakers of legal action.
"Schools up to 10 standard will re-open from tomorrow. I've instructed the DCs, SPs and school administrations to conduct a peace committee meeting. Schools for higher classes and degree colleges will re-open after reviewing the situation [sic]," he said on Sunday.
Section 144 of CrPC has been clamped in the 200-meter radius of all the high schools within the city police commissionerate limits from Monday till 19 February. Police personnel kept a strict vigil. Persons are not allowed to assemble in large numbers as per the prohibitory orders.
School Which Allowed Hijab Have Now Enforced Ban
Raghupathi Bhat, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA of Udupi issued a statement saying, "In colleges where uniform is not followed and hijab was earlier allowed, students will be allowed to wear hijab. In colleges where it was not earlier allowed, status quo will continue.”
"This would mean Udupi PU College for Girls, where six students have been protesting for hijab will not allow hijab. But in a college like MGM college where students were reportedly allowed to wear hijab will continue to allow the same," he added.
Students in a Kalburgi government Urdu school and Government PU College in Kundapur were allowed to wear hijab in classrooms.
Kasturba Balika government school in Shimoga, that had earlier allowed hijab inside the classrooms, has enforced the ban on religious clothing in educational institutions. Schools where earlier hijab was allowed have also imposed the ban.
Karnataka HC To Resume Hearing
The government can't restrict fundamental rights in the garb of maintaining public order, the counsel for the girl students seeking permission to wear the hijab told the Karnataka High Court on Monday.
During the hearing on Monday, senior advocate Devdatt Kamat told the bench of Chief Justice Awasthi, Justice Krishna S. Dixit, and Justice Khaji Jaibunnesa Mohiyuddin that the College Development Committee (CDC) has no legal statutory basis to frame rules on uniforms.
"The government's decision in this regard shows lack of wisdom and a legislator heading the committee will decide on fundamental rights. It is not legal to restrict the wearing of hijab," he argued.
Advocate Kamat pleaded that the bench should permit students to wear hijab of the same color of the uniform.
The bench subsequently adjourned the matter till Tuesday.
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