Hijab-saffron row: Schools, colleges closed for 3 days as K'taka CM appeals for peace

Amid the ongoing controversy over wearing hijab to college, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday has asked all concerned to maintain peace and let children study. The hijab row snowballed into a controversy as students belonging to different faiths across the state began protests demanding their respective colleges to allow them to wear the scarves of their choice.

Shimoga (Karnataka):Hijab-saffron row in Karnataka is turning into a major political and communally sensitive controversy even as incidents of violence have been reported from a few areas of the state where students, who support hijab and those backing saffron scarves, pelted stones at each other. With tensions rising, the government has ordered a three-day holiday from tomorrow closing all schools and colleges in the state.

"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 closure of all high schools and colleges for next three days. All concerned are requested to cooperate," Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai announced on his Twitter handle on Tuesday.

Earlier, the chief minsiter asked all concerned to maintain peace and let children study. "All the concerned people (in the hijab-row, 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 said. The hijab row snowballed into a controversy as students belonging to different faiths across the state began protests demanding their respective colleges to allow them to wear the scarves of their choice.

One of the stone-pelting incidents took place at Government Degree College in Shimoga town in which four to five students were injured. On receiving information, police officers, including SP, rushed to the spot. Following the incident, Section 144 was imposed in Shimoga. On the other hand, protests also erupted at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial College in Udupi as students wearing hijab and another group of students wearing saffron stoles-headgears raised slogans on the college campus.

Fresh protests erupted at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial College in Udupi on Tuesday after a large group of students wearing saffron stoles and shawls raised slogans against hijab-wearing students, inside the college premises. This caused confusion and tension at the college, making the college authorities close the gate and prevent both saffron-clad and hijab-wearing students from entering the college. Since neither group relented, the college is now in talks with district administration and police have arranged tight security for the college.

Read:'We will go by what Constitution says': Karnataka HC over hijab row

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."

The controversy spread to Vijayapur district in the state as students of Shanteshwara Pre-University College of Indi taluk came to college wearing saffron scarves despite the government ban, but the college administration board has stopped them at the gate. In protest, the students staged a dharna for not allowing them into the college precincts. However, police personnel from the Chanachana Station Police came to the stop and brought the situation under control. Meanwhile, the authorities concerned in the college declared a holiday as a precautionary measure.