Students, parents in Karnataka remain firm on hijab

Hundreds of students across the state continued to boycott classes on Tuesday protesting against prohibition of hijab on school campuses.

The conflict pervaded into even Urdu medium schools, with parents and students protesting against the ban. In some instances, parents took their children back for forcing their children to remove hijab.

In Kalaburagi, a majority of the girl students were missing from classes in Urdu schools. In one such instance, a heated debate ensued between teachers and students in Moulana Azad School in Ijeri village, Yadrami taluk in the district when the teachers refused entry to students wearing hijab. The police had to intervene.

In Gadag city government Urdu High School, parents entered the classroom and brought their children out. “If you want to teach our kids without hijab, send them home,” they argued with the teacher.

Also read: Hijab row: BJP, Kateel delete tweets revealing personal details of petitioners

In Indavara village in Chikkamagaluru, the DDPI had to declare holiday to Maulana Azad School as at least 15 students insisted on sitting inside classes wearing hijab.

In some cases, schools began insisting even parents who had come to drop children, to remove burqa. Such an incident was reported in Tumakuru, in front of SVS school where the teachers did not allow parents who were wearing burqa to enter the school premises.

Irate parents demanded whether there was any regulation against parents wearing religious attire. While until now they were allowed to drop their children inside the school, the sudden prohibition irked them. Even as the parents shouted slogans in protest, police had to intervene to control the situation. Some parents took their children home.

Absenteeism from SSLC preparatory exams also continued. As many as 43 students skipped the SSLC preparatory exams in Mysuru district, including 39 students in Nanjangud taluk, three students in KR Nagar taluk and one student in Mysuru taluk.

In Chitradurga, the BEO of Hosadurga initiated action against two guest teachers for not complying with the High Court interim order. The incident took place in Moulana Azad School in Hosadurga, where two teachers, along 20 students, refused to attend school without hijab. The teachers applied for leave and left.

Protests continued in other places too. In Belur, students of the high school division of the government PU college boycotted classes and staged protest in front of the school.

Watch latest videos by DH here: