Bengaluru: Anyone violating the High Court ruling on hijab will not be permitted to write the tests, asserted Karnataka Ministers on the first day of the Class X examinations which began on Monday. According to Home Minister Araga Jnanendra, anyone violating the rules would face action. "Whoever violates the rule will face the action. We will not compromise on it. Everyone should obey the High Court order. Students have to remove the hijab and write the exam," Jnanendra said.
Primary and Secondary Education Minister BC Nagesh, too, expressed his views on the same lines. "Police will naturally take action against anyone violating the government rules. I am confident that no student will give opportunity for such things," he said. He asked the students to face the exams confidently without any fear.
Read: No entry to SSLC exam wearing hijab: Karnataka Education Dept
More than 8.74 lakh students have enrolled to appear for the exam in over 48,000 halls in 3,440 centres across the State. The last exam is on April 11. However, some Muslim girls had threatened to "boycott" the exams protesting against the ban on the hijab, the Islamic headscarf, inside the exam centre. The full bench of the Karnataka High Court had ruled that the hijab is not an essential religious practice and everyone should abide by the uniform dress rule.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, too, said everyone should write the X standard exam and pass it. "I wish good luck to all the students. It is an important examination. Given COVID-19, we have made all the arrangements this year for the smooth conduct of the exam. We desire that everyone should appear for the exam and pass it and shape their bright future," Bommai said while speaking to reporters. Former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy, too, said everyone should write the exam. "Students of all faiths should write the exam by keeping their feelings aside. Do not skip the exam for any reason," the JD(S) leader said.
