Udupi (Karnataka): The ongoing Hijab row in Karnataka is spilling over to more colleges after the authorities at Kundapur College Board in Udupi district directed that "students should not come to classrooms wearing Hijab or Saffron Shawl” and that “religiousness should not be allowed in the classroom”.
Many colleges on Sunday called an emergency meeting with parents while some others declared a holiday on Saturday. Dr. B B Hegde First Grade college held an emergency meeting with the parents, many of whom said that they have had a very close relationship with the college, and such discrimination among communities was never seen before. The college had initially allowed students wearing hijab to enter classrooms on Friday but asked them to leave soon after.
“Political organizations should not get into this issue. Students' education is important to us. We just requesting wearing a scarf to head. We have been wearing the hijab ever since. We should be allowed to follow our religious rights," a parent said. Meanwhile, the row also entered Hassan district with students of Government Science College entering the premises donning saffron shawls. Students at Doddasidalingegowda Government College in Chikkamagaluru also wore saffron shawls on the campus.
To mention, the Karnataka education department on Saturday issued a directive that all the government schools should follow the uniform dress code announced by the state government. "All government schools should follow the uniform dress code, declared by the state government. Students from private institutions should follow the dress decided by the school management," Karnataka Education Department said.
The department said if there is no dress code for colleges under the Department of Pre-University, one can wear the dress which will not affect equality, integrity and law and order. "Colleges that are under the dept of Pre-University, state govt to follow the dress which was decided by the college's development board (CDC). If there is no such dress code, students can wear the dress which will not affect equality, integrity and law and order," the department said.
On February 4, students wearing hijabs were allegedly denied entry into a government college in the Kundapur area, amid a row on wearing the headscarf in classrooms.
