Karnataka Hijab Row: Pre-University And Degree Colleges To Reopen From February 16, Says Minister

After a near week-long hijab row forced holiday, high schools in Karnataka reopened on Monday.

The hijab controversy first erupted in January at a government PU College in Udupi (Getty Images)

New Delhi: Karnataka minister BC Nagesh said on Monday that pre-university colleges and degree colleges would reopen in the state from February 16 after being closed for a week due to the hijab controversy.

The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, which was attended by Home Minister Araga Jnanendra, Primary and Secondary Education Minister B C Nagesh, Higher Education Minister C N Ashwath Narayan, and senior officials of the government.

"At the meeting, the current situation in the state was analysed. It was decided to reopen PU and Degree colleges from Wednesday," PTI quoted Nagesh as saying.

On Monday, high schools were reopened amid prohibitory orders in Udupi and sensitive areas of Dakshina Kannada and Bengaluru. Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code has been imposed in sensitive areas of the districts, PTI reported.

Police personnel were posted in Udupi town and near the schools to maintain law and order and to avoid any untoward incident.

READ | Hijab Row: Allow Us To Wear Headscarf Matching Colour Of School Uniform, Students Tell HC

In most of the schools, Muslim students attended classes without hijab while a few institutes allowed them to attend classes wearing the headscarf, reports said.

The Karnataka government had declared a holiday for all educational institutions last week after several incidents of stone pelting and unrest were reported across the state as the hijab row escalated and protests by students spread to more colleges.

The hijab controversy first erupted in January at a government PU College in Udupi, where six students who attended classes wearing headscarves in violation of the stipulated dress code were asked to leave the campus. 

The incident triggered a massive protest from Muslims girl students, who claimed that they were denied entry in schools for wearing hijab in the state. In several schools and colleges, Hindu students responded by turning up in saffron shawls, leading to tensions.

The matter also reached the Karnataka High Court, which last week requested the state government to reopen educational institutions and restrained all students from wearing saffron shawls, scarves, hijab and any religious flag in classroom.