college environment is deteriorating

BENGALURU: The controversy over girls wearing hijab in Karnataka continues even after two weeks. Six girl students wearing hijab were denied entry into the class on Tuesday at the Government Pre-University College in Udupi, Karnataka. After this, a girl student has approached the Karnataka High Court demanding the right to wear hijab in class.

In the petition filed in the High Court on behalf of a student named Reshma Farooq, it has been said that wearing Hijab is a fundamental right under Articles 14 and 25. Along with this, it is also recognized in Islam religion. The petitioner has also sought a response from the Karnataka State Government for accountability on the issue.

The controversy over the hijab in Karnataka began in January when seven Muslim girl students were denied admission to class for wearing the hijab. After that the girls were not going to college.

Verdict for equality in dress
The college administration says that it has taken this decision for equality in college dress. The Campus Front of India says that it will continue to fight for the rights of Muslim girl students.

BJP MLA from Udupi K Raghupati Bhatt had said on Monday that there is no need to come to college if you want to wear hijab. He said that we have met the parents of the girl students who come wearing hijab.
On the instructions of the Karnataka government, the state education department has constituted a committee to decide the guidelines regarding dress in pre-university colleges across the state. In the order issued on January 25, it has been clearly stated that till the report of the committee comes, the compliance of the rules should be ensured.

The ongoing issue of hijab in Karnataka is also the center of discussion in foreign media. Al Jazeera prominently published this news in its January 18 issue. According to the report, girl students are not being allowed to wear the hijab because they are not part of the college dress.

The ongoing controversy over the hijab in Karnataka has started taking a political colour. Shri Ram Sena chief Pramod Muthalik on Tuesday said that insistence on wearing hijab and ignoring the uniform reflects terrorist mentality. Such students should be thrown out of school. She said in Hubli that now she says hijab, next she will say burqa, after that she will insist on namaz and mosque. Is it the school or your religious centre? Mutalik said that the school management should strictly tell the girl students that they cannot come to school wearing hijab.