Protests Intensify in Karnataka As Colleges Turn Away Students Wearing Hijabs

The PU College in north Karnataka's Vijaypura, which had permitted hijabs earlier, has now denied entry to students.

Students arrive to attend a school that reopened after Karnataka High Court's interim order restraining students from wearing religious symbols inside the classroom, in Udupi.

(Photo: PTI)

Tensions in Karnataka boiled over again after several pre-university colleges on Wednesday, 16 February, turned away hijab-wearing students, who then began staging protests outside campuses. Protests have reportedly erupted in Vijaypura, Bijapur, Kalaburagi Raichur, and Yadgir.

The reason behind the huge turnout of hijab-wearing students in degree colleges – who were then turned away – is reportedly Minister for Higher Education CN Ashwath Narayan's statement given on Tuesday, when he said that no uniform was stipulated in degree colleges, and hence, students were free to wear the dress of their choice, The Hindu reported.

He was quoted as saying, "But in schools and pre-university colleges, where a dress code or a uniform has been prescribed, it is imperative to follow the rules...The rules were not framed overnight. They are not in favour of, or against anyone, but for the collective good, and they should be adhered to."

Meanwhile, the Government PU College in north Karnataka's Vijaypura, which had permitted hijabs earlier, has now denied entry to students.

At the DVS College in Shivamogga, students told PTI that practising their faith was more important than any government order.

"Today was our test and we are not allowed to go in. For us, practising our faith is as important as education and the burqa is part of our faith. We will not remove it," one of the students was quoted as saying by PTI.

Similar visuals of protests were witnessed at the SSR College in Raichur, where students held up placards that read, "Hijab is our Right."

Students leave the PU College after they were not allowed to enter the campus with the hijab on, in Udupi.

Students walk to the Principal's Chamber for a meeting after they were not allowed to enter the PU College with the hijab on, in Udupi.

Students talk to a police officer after they were denied entry to the PU College while wearing the hijab, in Udupi.

'Covering My Head, Not My Brain'

Speaking to The Quint, Afra Ajmal Assadi, a student of Dr G Shankar Government College, said that she and at least 20 other students were not allowed to attend classes.

"If they let us wear the hijab, I will come back to the campus, or else I won’t. Under Article 25 of the Constitution, I have the right to follow my religion. No one can restrict us from following our religion. I am covering my head, not brain," said Assadi.

Another Muslim student said that she would not be attending classes until the next high court order.

A similar incident occurred at the Salara Devi College in Bellari, where a section of students left the college after being denied entry to the classrooms with their hijabs on.

"Due to the lockdown, we were not able to study. Now suddenly, when classes began, they have a problem with our hijab," said one of the students speaking to The Quint.