'Girls suddenly provoked': Karnataka education minister BC Nagesh over Udupi Hijab row

Karnataka Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, BC Nagesh on Friday tried to clear the air around the Udupi uniform controversy. He said that the uniform in the college has been there for more than thirty years and there has been no problem so far, India Today reported.

“Uniform in the college has been there since 1985. Till now, no problem was there. Uniformity creates a common mind. Kesari shawls are not allowed in college either. The same six girls had been OK [with the uniform] till 1.5 years ago. They have been suddenly provoked,” BC Nagesh said.

The controversy has been going on since January 1 when six Muslim girls in Udupi were prevented from attending classes at a government college for wearing hijabs as it was against the uniform policies of the institute.

Masood Manna, the state committee member at Campus Front of India, Karnataka, alleged that the college was discriminating on the basis of religion. “There is religious discrimination in the college. Students were barred from the college for wearing a headscarf. It's a fundamental right. The principal of the college told CFI that this is their college and they make the rules. He also told us not to question the college authorities. We have submitted a memorandum on the matter to the district commissioner."

Aliya Assadi, a Class-12 student in the commerce stream at the government college, said, " It's a basic right. We met officials and explained the situation but we didn't get a positive response. We are still sitting outside. The teacher scolded us and sent us out. She said she'll push us out just because we wear hijab. We want justice.”