Hijab row: Pre-University colleges and degree colleges to reopen from February 16, says Karnataka Education Minister BC Nagesh

Amid protests being held over Hijab ban in Karnataka, state eduction minister on Monday annonced that pre-University colleges and degree colleges shall reopen in the state from February 16.

"Pre-University colleges and degree colleges to reopen from February 16," Education Minister BC Nagesh was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Amid the prevailing tension in the state, schools reopened today for students of Class 9 and 10 across Karnataka.

In most of the schools, the Muslim students attended classes without hijab and a few institutes allowed them to attend classes wearing hijab. Police personnel have been deputed near all schools and authorities have made proper security arrangements near the premises of schools located in sensitive locations.

The school management asked students to take off their burka and hijab before entering school premises in the Nizamia school of Mysuru. The students took off their burka and hijab and went to classes in uniform. Though the students of the Government Urdu School of Jewargi in Kalaburagi district attended classes wearing hijab, the teachers informed students about the court order and asked them to remove the hijab.

Meanwhile, the counsel for the girl students seeking permission to wear the hijab told the Karnataka High Court today the government can't restrict fundamental rights in the garb of maintaining public order.

During the hearing on Monday, senior advocate Devdatt Kamat told the bench of Chief Justice Awasthi, Justice Krishna S. Dixit and Justice Khaji Jaibunnesa Mohiyuddin that the College Development Committee (CDC) has no legal statutory basis to frame rules on uniforms.

"The government's decision in this regard shows lack of wisdom and a legislator heading the committee will decide on fundamental rights. It is not legal to restrict the wearing of hijab," he argued.

Kamat stated that all Central schools run by the Central government are allowing the wearing of hijab and petitioners have been wearing hijab of the same colour as the uniform since long.

(with agency inputs)

Published on: Monday, February 14, 2022, 10:20 PM IST