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Karnataka: On suspension of six hijab-clad students, minister says this
Hijab row: Karnataka minister CS Ashwath Narayan suitable action will be taken by authorities and the law will be enforced accordingly.
Karnataka minister CS Ashwath Narayan on Friday said there was a need to adhere to prescribed law and each institution will follow guidelines when asked about the suspension of six students at a college in Dakshina Kannada for wearing the hijab, a headscarf worn by some Muslim girls.
Narayan said suitable action will be taken by authorities and the law will be enforced accordingly. “We need to adhere to the prescribed law. Each institution will work on these guidelines and the law will be enforced accordingly. Suitable action will be taken by authorities likewise,” the cabinet minister was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
A week-long suspension order was passed against six students of Government First Grade College at Uppinangady, after the principal held a meeting with faculty members in this connection.
The suspended students had allegedly worn the hijab in the class room, despite repeated warnings from the college authorities. The college said the students were informed that their conduct was in violation of state government and high court orders.
Following the suspension, more students came to college wearing hijab on Thursday, while another section wore saffron shawl in protest, leading the authorities to seek police intervention.
On March 15, the Karnataka high court had dismissed petitions filed by a group of Muslim students, seeking permission to wear hijab inside classrooms. A three-judge bench of the court consisting of chief justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Justice Krishna S Dixit and Justice JM Khazi said the prescription of school uniform was only a reasonable restriction, constitutionally permissible, which the students could not object to.
Following the order, the department of pre-university education made uniform prescribed by the College Development Committee, compulsory for pre-university (PU) students from the 2022-23 academic year.
It also said that in case no uniform was 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 agency inputs)
