While Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has clarified that there is no ban on wearing the hijab in degree colleges across the state, in reality, many students are being denied permission to do the same. Currently wearing hijab or any other religious attire by students is banned by an interim order from the Karnataka High Court in high schools and PU colleges, where there is an uniform mandate prescribed by the College Development Committees.
In a video taken on Thursday, February 17, police can be seen stopping students wearing the hijab in Mandya’s PES College of Engineering. The students can be heard saying that even Higher Education Minister Dr CN Ashwath Narayan has said that the High Court order is not applicable to degree colleges. She is heard saying, “We are under mental pressure to show what they are doing. They are clearly discriminating. Education minister has himself said that there is nothing. Now what? If they give us mental pressure, what should we do? Should we die?" as one police man is seen threatening them with detention and a legal case.
"Edu min himself announced no uniform for degree colleges, why this discrimination? We are facing mental pressure, should we die?": Student of PES college Mandya when asked to leave campus by a cop threatening to book them yesterday. Today they were allowed to write exams.#Hijab pic.twitter.com/JPzxgSfP2d
— Deepak Bopanna (@dpkBopanna) February 17, 2022
According to reports, First Grade College in Kavoor (Mangaluru), Government Engineering College in Raichur, Saraladevi College in Ballari, Uppinangady Degree College in Dakshina Kannada district, Siddheshwar Degree College in Gadag district and Field Marshal KM Cariappa College in Kodagu were among the other colleges that had stopped students from entering the college for wearing hijab.
There were also reports of some persons being detained by police for protesting against the hijab ban. One such incident was reported from Vijaya College in Belagavi on Thursday. Small-scale protests were carried out across the state in places like Ballari and Hubballi.
Degree colleges in the state were reopened on Wednesday, February 16 after the state government had shut high schools and colleges on February 9. The closure came as protests for and against the hijab intensified in different parts of Karnataka and minor incidents of violence were reported in some parts on February 9. Following that high schools began functioning again on February 14 after the HC requested the state government to reopen educational institutions and prohibit protests over the matter.
When the issue was raised in the Assembly on Wednesday, February 16, CM Bommai said the state government is committed towards implementing the HC order. He mentioned that the bar on wearing hijab was not applicable to degree colleges as there is no prescribed uniform. The CM was speaking when Leader of Opposition and ex-CM Siddaramaiah sought clarification on Higher Education Minister Dr CN Ashwath Naryan stating that students are free to wear hijabs in degree colleges.
"The Higher Education Minister has stated the facts. He has said that dress code is applicable where the rules exist and it is not there for higher education institutions or degree colleges," Bommai said.
The CM further said that the High Court's interim order is also very clear — where there is dress code, it has to be followed, and it is not applicable where it does not exist. "Things are very clear, our government will abide by the High Court order," he added.