Hindu-Muslim bonhomie: Muslim mother writes SSLC exam, Hindu activist takes care of her baby

A Muslim mother who is a class 10th student came with her four-month-old baby to the exam center and left the child outside the test centre with Asha activist who took care of the baby while the woman peacefully wrote the exam. Nabeen Ara, the mother of a student writing the exam, said that education is very important in this era.

Bengaluru: SSLC exams which began today amid the hijab conflict witnessed a harmonious incident between Tasleema Macandar, a Muslim mother, and Uma Sharadahalli, a Hindu Asha activist, at the Abhyudaya exam Center in Muddebihala in Vijayapura district. A Muslim mother who is a Class 10th student came with her four-month-old baby to the exam center and left the child outside the test centre with Asha activist who took care of the baby while the woman peacefully wrote the exam.

Nabeen Ara, the mother of a student writing the exam, said, "education is very important in this era, only a few want hijabs. Wearing Hijab in private programmes is personal but in schools, we should follow the uniform."

Former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy said, "SSLC exam has begun. My best wishes to all the children who are attending the exam. The 10th class exam is the most important phase of academic life." The former Chief Minister congratulated the students, saying that everyone should write the test with confidence.

He tweeted, "Do not be perturbed by the recent unpleasant incidents. Everyone should understand that future is important. Parents should also not ignore it. Let us not impose feelings on young minds." He added that students of all faiths should write the exam by keeping their feelings aside. Do not skip the exam for any reason. A time will come to respect the feelings of children by clearing the tense atmosphere. He further wrote, "Denying education to a girl child is an injustice done to the nation. 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padao,' programme should not remain on paper or in speeches. One shouldn't forget that denying education to a girl child is like pushing the country into the dark age."

Dharwad DDPI SS Keladimatha visited examination centres and said that exams are going on peacefully at all the centres by government regulations. "A separate room has been arranged for students to remove the hijab. We made the uniforms mandatory," said Keladimatha. He said all hubs would take precautionary measures to avoid any hijab riots.

Minister Shankara Patil Munenakoppa welcomed and greeted students with a rose at the Kusugal village of Hubli. When students arrived to write the exam at Sardar High School in the city, MLA Anil Benake greeted the children with rose flowers.

However, an SSLC student has died of a heart attack while writing an examination at the T Narasipura Taluk Vidyodaya Examination Center in the Mysore district. Anushree, a resident of Akur village in Narasipura Taluk, is a student who died of a heart attack. Anushree, who was studying in 10th at Madapur High School, collapsed while writing the exam. The student was admitted to a government hospital in Narasipuram. It is said that the student died without responding to the treatment.

Meanwhile, precautions have been taken to prevent any unpleasant incidents. A total of 8,73,846 SSLC students have registered for the examination and 3,444 examination centres will be holding the exams in the state. They were instructed to arrive at the examination centre in uniform but some students came wearing hijab and burqa. The special room assigned to them to remove the burqa and hijab and went to write the exam in uniform.