Amid hijab row, Pre-university and degree colleges in Karnataka to reopen from Feb 16

Karnataka education minister BC Nagesh on Monday said pre-university and degree colleges will reopen from February 16. The colleges in the southern state were shut for physical classes to prevent any flare up due to the raging Hijab row.

Three days ago, the Karnataka government had extended the closure of degree and diploma colleges till February 16.

Karnataka has been witnessing protests as Muslim girls fight for their right to wear the hijab in educational institutes.

The row began in January when a group of students from a college in Karnataka alleged they were barred from entering classrooms for wearing the hijab, a headscarf used by Muslim women. This isolated incident in one college snowballed into a major statewide issue and the controversy spread to some other colleges.

The Karnataka High Court has been hearing multiple pleas on the case and has also restrained the students to wear any religious attire till the matter is pending with the court. Earlier in the day, the court adjourned the hearing in the matter to Tuesday.