Karnataka Hijab Row: After controversy erupts in Mangaluru, CM Bommai urges students to ‘focus on education’

As the hijab row has made its comeback in Karnataka after the recent controversy in a school in Mangaluru, Karnataka Chief Minister Bawavaraj Bommai has urged the students to “focus on their studies” and abide by the orders of the High Court.

The row erupted when several students from the Mangalore University were denied entry inside the premises as they were wearing hijabs, which went against the dress code specified by the institute. Stating that the issue has been closed after the syndicate meeting at Mangalore University, he asked students to focus on education instead of getting into such issues.

"There is no need to create hijab controversy (again), the court has given its order, and all have to abide by the court and the government's order. The majority of them, about 99.99 percent of them, are following it. The syndicate's resolution is also that a court order has to be followed...According to me, studies should be important for students," Bommai said.

The hijab row, which erupted in Karnataka a few months back, surfaced once again in the state after several Muslim students staged a protest in Mangaluru, alleging that the University College of Mangalore had denied entry to a student as she was wearing a headscarf.

Meanwhile, Mangalore University Vice-Chancellor Prof. P Subrahmanya Yadapadithaya said that the students who staged protests will be counseled and an attempt to convince them to attend their classes without the hijab will be made.

The Vice-Chancellor further said that the college will facilitate admission of Muslim girl students in other institutions if they insist on wearing hijab inside classrooms.

The Karnataka High Court on March 15 dismissed petitions filed by a group of Muslim students, seeking permission to wear hijab inside classrooms. The HC had further said that students are not supposed to wear any sort of religious clothing inside educational institutes.

Protests against Karnataka universities and colleges had erupted across the state during the hijab row, with the educational institution shut down to avoid disturbances in the state.

(With PTI inputs)

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