Hijab-clad students denied entry to K'taka college

Dakshina Kannada (Karnataka), May 30

The hijab crisis is yet again showing signs of resurgence in Karnataka as some students were sent back from their college on Monday in Mangaluru city of Dakshina Kannada district.

Twelve hijab-clad students of University College in Mangaluru tried to enter classrooms, but were stopped by the college authorities. They were sent back after refusing to take off their hijabs.

These students were sent back on earlier occasions also after the college reopened following the protests by hundreds of students against the wearing of hijab in classrooms.

After being refused to enter classrooms, the students went to the office of the District Commissioner (DC) of Dakshina Kannada Dr Rajendra K.V to submit a memorandum in this regard. The students demanded that the DC direct the college management to allow them inside classrooms with hijab.

The hijab crisis, which started as a protest by six students of Udupi Pre-University Girl's College, has turned out to be a major situation in Karnataka over the past year.

The issue attracted international attention. The students filed a petition with the High Court seeking permission to wear hijab in classrooms. The High Court constituted a special bench of three judges and heard the petition immediately.

The Special Bench headed by the Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi dismissed the petition filed by the students and observed that wearing of hijab is not an essential practice in Islam.

The government of Karnataka has issued guidelines for the schools and pre university colleges making uniform compulsory for students without giving any room for wearing of hijab in classrooms.