Hijab row resurfaces in Karnataka, 6 students suspended in a Uppinangady college

Karnataka Hijab row: A government college in Karnataka has suspended six students for wearing Hijab in the class as it was against the High Court order on the recent Hijab controversy, ANI reported. The principal of Government First Grade College Uppinangady on Friday told ANI that six Hijab-clad students were suspended from college for six-day for violating court-mandated norms. Their suspension period will end tomorrow and the students will be allowed in classes after that. According to PTI, the six students who have been suspended allegedly wore the hijab in the classroom, despite repeated attempts by the college authorities to inform them that their conduct was in violation of state government and High Court's orders.

Other students wore saffron in protest

Following the suspension, as more students came to college wearing hijab on Thursday (today), another section of students wore saffron shawl in protest, and demanded they should not be allowed to enter classes, forcing the police to intervene.

Authorities did not allow both hijab and saffron shawl wearing students to attend classes, sources said.

The Karnataka High Court on March 15 had dismissed petitions filed by a group of Muslim students, seeking permission to wear hijab inside classrooms.

The three-judge bench of the court consisting of Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Justice Krishna S Dixit and Justice J M Khazi further noted that the prescription of school uniform is only a reasonable restriction, constitutionally permissible, which the students cannot object to.

Following the High Court order, the Department of Pre-University Education has made uniforms prescribed by the College Development Committee, compulsory for Pre-University (PU) students from the 2022-23 academic year.

It also states that in case no uniform is prescribed by the College Development Committee or management, students must wear a garment which will "maintain equality and unity, and which does not disturb public order".

(With PTI inputs)