Minister of Higher Education Karnataka: Graduate Students Could Wear Hijab in Class

Bengaluru, MINA – Hijab-wearing students continue to be denied admission to colleges across the southern Indian State of Karnataka, despite the state’s Minister of Higher Education explaining that the Karnataka High Court’s interim order does not apply to postgraduate (or degree) students.

Earlier this week, Minister of Higher Education CN Ashwath Narayan said female students can wear the hijab if they wish, as all colleges under the Ministry of Higher Education may not follow a dress code, as Colleges in Karnataka generally do not have a dress code, The India Express reported.

At Mandya PES College, police officers were seen telling students to wear hijabs to enter college without religious attire or leave the school. If they do not comply, they are threatened with a case of violating Article 144 of CrPC.

Similarly, at the government’s Public Works College, Chikkamagaluru, there was a verbal altercation between the student’s parents and the principal. Parents accused the principal of “ruining children’s education”, while the principal said he was simply following a court order.

In the Hassan district, hijab-wearing students protesting off campus got into an argument with police. Protests were also reported in Ballari and Kodagu. In Belagavi district, the police detained several youths who had made demands to allow the entry of hijab-wearing students. In Shivamogga district, hijabi students were expelled and asked to attend online classes.

However, contradicting the report, BC Nagesh, Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, claimed that incidents of hijabi students being asked to leave school were only reported in two or three institutions.

“Schools and colleges are running without a hitch. There were only two or three incidents related to the hijab, but all the girls attended the class,” Nagesh told reporters on Thursday. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)