Protests continue as hijab-clad students disallowed in schools, colleges

Bengaluru/Shivamogga/ Mangaluru: Protests by Muslim students intensified across the State on Thursday. Police took into custody a few rowdy elements who came to support the hijab-wearing girls. According to a rough calculation, 540 girls who wanted to wear hijab inside the classrooms either returned home or demonstrated against the school managements.

In Uppinangady in Dakshina Kannada, a communally sensitive place, the police had a harrowing time when a few people arrived at the government PU college where the hijab-wearing girls were not allowed entry into the building. They stood holding hands around the hijab-wearing girls to protect them and later got into an argument with the school authorities. When the police arrived, a larger group came and started arguing with the police too. Later the police herded some key leaders into a vehicle and took them away. The girls later were escorted by their parents to their homes.

The situation continued to be tense in most of the cities in 13 districts. Belagavi, Udupi, Koppala, Shivamogga, Kodagu, Hubballi, Mandya, Bellary, Ramanagar, Davanagere and Dakshina Kannada were the districts where police intervention was needed to defuse the tension.

In Belagavi city nearly a dozen unconnected persons with the hijab-wearing students gathered outside a private para-medical college and argued with the school authorities. They later summoned more people from the city and started sloganeering against the school and shouted "Allah hu Akbar" for more than 20 minutes. Six of them were taken into custody by the police. They demanded that the girls wearing hijabs should be allowed inside the classrooms and Hindu girls be asked to wipe off their bindis, remove bangles and ear studs before allowing them into the classes.

Hijab-clad students of Sarala Devi College in Bellary also questioned the school authorities why the Hindu girls were allowed inside wearing bindis, bangles, ear studs and sarees. They demanded that women sporting all these things should not be allowed to attend classes.

In Shivamogga, 20 hijab-clad students DVS College were turned outbythe authorities andpolice. Some men who came in support of the girls formed a human chain around them while arguing with police and school authorities. Similar scenes were also seen at RLS College in Belagavi, Koppal government college, and BallariVeerashaivaMahila College.

In Udupi, more than 40 students at Ajjarakad's Dr G Shankar Government Women's First Grade College returned home after the college principal refused permission to wear hijab in classrooms, citing the High Court interim order.

Before leaving home, students told reporters that the Islamic tradition of wearing a hijab was as essential to them as education."We will wait until the court order," they said. Principal Bhaskar Shetty reportedly promised the pupils that they would be re-examined so that they would not face any problems.

Some students who had removed their hijab before entering classrooms on Wednesday after their principal instructed them to do so in order to comply with the High Court ruling revealed on Thursday that they had decided to return home and take online classes until court final decision. "Even if the hearing procedures and the final judgement take longer, we will wait till then," a group of students said.

The situation at Women's Government PU College in Udupi where the entire hijab issue began was normal as all the students consented to respect the court's ruling and remove their hijab before attending classrooms.

Meanwhile, Udupi Deputy Director of Pre-university Maruthi announced that practical exams for second-year PU science classes, which were scheduled to begin on Thursday, have been rescheduled for Friday owing to "technical issues."

Practical examinations would begin on February 18 at all PU colleges in the district, he said. "The State PU Board has directed us to finish the practical test of second-year PU students by March 25, and a timetable will be prepared appropriately," he said. The practical examination, which was supposed to take place on February 17, will now be held on March 11, he said.

PUC Chemistry practical exams scheduled to be held on Thursday were postponed in Udupi MGM College.

Home Minister AragaJnanendra met Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai at his residence and discussed the hijab situation.

In Ramnagar district, Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Kumar issued prohibitory orders and suspended physical education sessions. The administration of the First Grade PUC college has been instructed to conduct online classes till February 19.

More than 20 students at Vijayapura's Government Women's PU College refused to take exams because they were wearing hijab. Prohibitory orders have been imposed within a 200-meter radius of the campus, and strong security has been put in place.

Prohibitory measures have been imposed in Hubballi until February 28 in order to prevent any protests.