Amid Row, Hijabs, Saffron Shawls Banned in K'taka Minority Dept-Run Institutions

The Karnataka Government debarred the students from wearing any religious gears in the minority institutions.

The Karnataka Government, in a circular dated 18 February, debarred the students from wearing Hijabs, scarves or any other religious gears in the institutions run by the Minority Welfare Department of the government.

(Photo: Deeksha Malhotra/The Quint)

The Karnataka Government, in a circular dated 18 February, barred the students from wearing hijabs, scarves or any other religious gears in the educational institutions run by the Minority Welfare Department of the government.

The circular, issued by Major Manivannan P, Secretary in the Department of Minority Welfare, Hajj and Wakf Department, cited the interim orders of the Karnataka High Court, that had asked the students to refrain from wearing any and all religious attire to the schools.

"The above High Court order is applicable to residential schools, colleges, Maulana Azad Model English Medium schools coming under the minority welfare department. Against this background, wearing saffron shawl, scarves, Hijab or any other religious flags is prohibited in the schools and colleges and Maulana Azad Model English Medium schools, which come under the minority welfare department," the order stated.

The latest circular by Karnataka government comes after the interim orders of the Karnataka High Court, which had refused to allow the students to attend schools wearing hijabs or scarves until a final adjudication. The order had sparked protests in Karnataka and other parts of the country.

Karnataka Police, on the other hand, registered cases against nine people in the Shivamogga district for violating Section 144 in organising the protests against the ruling of the High Court.

(With inputs from PTI.)