Karnataka Hijab Row: State government bans ‘clothes that disturb laws’ in educational institutes
As the controversy of the ban on headscarves and hijabs in the educational institutes of Karnataka has started to take a political turn, the state government has decided to impose a ban on any such attire that “disturbs the law” in the schools and colleges of the state.
This comes as groups of Hindu students decided to wear saffron scarves to their colleges to protest the Muslim girls wearing a hijab while attending classes. Many hijab-wearing girls have also been stopped from entering the college premises in Karnataka.
The state government order reads, “Invoking 133 (2) of the Karnataka Education Act-1983, which says a uniform style of clothes has to be worn compulsorily. The private school administration can choose a uniform of their choice.”
The order further states that students shall only dress according to the uniform code set by the authorities, and further stated, “In the event of the administrative committee not selecting a uniform, clothes which disturb equality, integrity and public law and order should not be worn.”
Just days after Hindu girls were seen wearing saffron scarves and slogans as a form of protest against hijab-clad students, the state government said, “The education department has noticed that in some educational institutions, the boys and girls have started behaving according to their religion, which hurts the equality and unity.”
The row surrounding the entry of hijab-wearing students inside educational institutes has spread to various regions of Karnataka over the past week, with incidents being recorded in Udupi, Chikkamagaluru, and Kundapura in the past.
Earlier this week, a group of students wearing a hijab was stopped at the entry gate of the college by the principal for violating the dress code of the institute and were not allowed to attend their classes despite several pleas by the students.
Days after the incident, several boys and girls from Udupi were seen wearing saffron scarves along with their uniforms in a video, chanting slogans of “Jai Shri Ram (praise Lord Ram)” as a way of protesting the students wearing a hijab inside schools and colleges.