Vijayapura, Karnataka: Even as the Karnataka High Court hears arguments on allowing religious clothing in educational institutions, another government college in the state has turned into a site of protest for sending away students who insisted on wearing the hijab (headscarf) in classrooms.
The Government PU college at Vijayapura in north Karnataka, which allowed hijabs earlier, did not allow students wearing hijabs to enter the classrooms today. The college administration argued that they were only following interim orders of the court, which had allowed schools and colleges to resume only on the condition that no religious clothing be allowed in classrooms. The students, however, say the college did not inform them that they would not be allowed in hijabs or burkhas.
Dramatic visuals from the college show some students who had entered the classroom in hijabs and burkhas arguing with the teacher and the Principal of the school requesting them to follow the court order.
“We are in accordance with the High Court’s order that says no religious garment, whether hijab or saffron shawls, will be allowed inside educational institutions,” the Principal can be heard saying.
After a squabble, a separate space inside the college was allotted to these students to take off their hijabs and burkhas, and enter the classrooms. The Principal had stopped these students at the entrance of the college but they forced their way in and protested against being denied entry.
After they were asked to leave, the students protested by raising slogans of “we want justice” and expressing their anguish to the media present at the spot.
Some women police personnel could also be seen at the spot in the videos from the college.
