The Hijab row in Karnataka escalated to an extend on Tuesday that the police had to resort to lathi charge and teargas shells to control a violent mob in Davanagere district.
Jai Shri Ram chants by students wearing saffron scarves were retailed to with screams of Allah hu Akbar by Muslim girls donning hijab at a college in Udupi district.
Congress, meanwhile, claimed that the Tricolour was replaced by students while hoisting a saffron flag. Here are the top developments in the Karnataka Hijab row.
PROTESTS AGAINST HIJAB IN UDUPI COLLEGE
Students wearing saffron scarves raised slogans against Muslim girls at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial College (MGM) in Udupi district. The students wearing saffron scarves raised ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogans and confronted the Muslim students. The school authorities intervened to keep both groups of students away from each other.
The Principal of the college declared a holiday till further notice.
SEC 144 IMPOSED IN BAGALKOT, SHIMOGA AFTER PROTESTS TURN VIOLENT
The hearing was underway in Karnataka High Court when incidents of stone pelting were reported from Bagalkot. Police resorted to lathi charge to disperse the crowd.
Shimoga district administration imposed Section 144 of the CrPC in the city following incidents of stone-pelting during protests.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Education Minister BC Nagesh alleged a political conspiracy behind the hijab row.
STUDENT HOISTS SAFFRON FLAG IN SHIMOGA COLLEGE
A video surfaced showing a boy in a college in Shimoga climbing up a pole and hoisting a saffron flag.
A major row erupted after Karnataka Congress President DK Shivakumar reacted to the incident and claimed that the national flag was “replaced” by the saffron flag.
Responding to Shivakumar’s tweet, the Karnataka BJP demanded evidence from him to prove that the national flag was replaced by the saffron flag. The local authorities too denied the claim of the Tricolour being replaced.
VIOLENT PROTESTS IN DAVANGERE, POLICE FIRE TEARGAS SHELLS
In Davanagere district, the police fired teargas shells and carried out lathi charge to quell the violent mob near the Harihar First Grade College campus. Section 144 was imposed in the town.
MUSLIM STUDENT HECKLED FOR WEARING BURQA IN MANDYA
Video of a student who was heckled outside a college for wearing a burqa went viral on social media. Identified as Muskan, she told India Today that she shouted ‘Allah hu Akbar’ in response to chants of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ by those heckling her.
The video showed a mob of saffron shawl-wearing men heckling her for coming to college wearing a burqa.
“I was going to college to submit an assignment. There were some people who were not allowing me to go to the college because I was wearing a burqa. They were asking me to remove burqa and then go inside,” Muskan told India Today.
KARNATAKA HIGH COURT APPEALS FOR PEACE, LISTS MATTER FOR TOMORROW
Karnataka High Court heard a batch of pleas by Muslim students against the hijab ban in classrooms. The petitioners’ counsel submitted to the court that wearing the hijab is an essential religious practice and that the government had no jurisdiction to impose orders restricting the use of hijab.
The court, which will continue to hear the case on Wednesday, February 9, asked people to maintain peace and calm after incidents of violence were reported from parts of the state.
ALL SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES SHUT FOR 3 DAYS
Karnataka Chief Minister Bommai ordered the closure of all high schools and colleges for next three days. All concerned are requested to cooperate, Bommai said. The government had earlier allowed colleges to decide whether to declare holidays based on the ground situation.
“I appeal to all the students, teachers and management of schools and colleges as well as people of Karnataka to maintain peace and harmony. I have ordered the closure of all high schools and colleges for next three days. All concerned are requested to cooperate,” CM Bommai said in a tweet.
On January 1, six Muslim students of a government Pre-University college in Karnataka’s Udupi were barred from attending classes wearing a hijab. The college management cited a new uniform policy behind the reason for the ban. The issue has now spilled over to other government colleges in Udupi with several students protesting for and against a ban on hijab.
