Karnataka Closes Schools & Colleges for 3 Days Over Hijab Row
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai ordered all high schools and colleges to remain shut for the next three days.
Protests over the hijab issue had begun weeks ago at the Government Girls PU College in Udupi, Karnataka when six women students were barred from classes for wearing the hijab. Since then several other high schools and colleges across the state banned wearing Hijab and many girls wearing hijabs were not allowed to enter schools and colleges. As a form of protest, some Hindus have retaliated by wearing saffron scarves on campus. The protests escalated on Tuesday 8 Feb as Hindu and Muslim groups threw stones at each other in parts of Karnataka. In Shivamogga, a group of boys wearing saffron scarves cheered and danced as one of them replaced the Indian national flag with a saffron flag. The police used teargas and batons to disperse protesters in several towns while gatherings have been banned in many Karnataka cities.
There were also videos that went viral on social media where a woman was being shouted at by Hindu protestors. Because of so many problems, Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai tweeted saying, ‘“I appeal to all the students, teachers and management of schools and colleges as well as people of Karnataka to maintain peace and harmony. I have ordered the closure of all high schools and colleges for the next three days. All concerned are requested to cooperate. The case about should Hijabs be allowed is currently going in the High Court and a decision will be made soon.”
The Karnataka HC judge Krishna S Dixit said, “Keep all emotions aside. We will go by what the constitution says. Constitution is above Bhagwad Geeta for me. I will go by the oath I have taken to the Constitution.” In the meantime, Madhya Pradesh School Education Minister Inder Singh Parmar said that “Hijab is not a part of the uniform and it should be banned in Madhya Pradesh schools.”
