The Karnataka High Court will take up the petitions filed by students of the Government Pre-University College for Girls, Udupi, demanding permission to attend classes while wearing their hijab. The Advocate General, Prabhuling K Navadgi, who was served an advance copy of the plea, sought time. Considering the request, the Bench headed by Justice Krishna S Dixit, on February 3, posted the matter on February 8.
The students in the petition have submitted that the college authorities have refused them the right to attend classes only because they wear a hijab. They have further requested the court to issue directions to the government to not suppress their religious and fundamental rights. They mentioned that wearing a hijab is an essential part of their religion. The students have also explained in their petition that they wore their hijab along with the uniform. The petitioners said that the Principal, the Vice-Principal and the lecturers humiliated them for wearing a hijab.
They further said that the 'students following the Islamic religion and wearing hijab were denied entry into the college on December 28, 2021'. The petition stated that from the last week of December 2021, their class teacher did not allow them to sit in the class and were asked to bring their parents. When the parents came, the college authorities didn't meet them and made them wait for the whole day, the petitioners said. The students have submitted two petitions to the High Court.
Meanwhile, the students continue to be discriminated against and they will be protesting until they are allowed to attend classes while wearing a hijab. The college authorities are blocking students from entering the colleges with a hijab. Incidents of discrimination against Muslim students have been surfacing in more colleges of the state where girls are not allowed to attend classes wearing a hijab. Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti, commented on the hijab row and chided the Central Government. The slogan of 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao ' on the education of girls is hollow and Muslim girl students are being excluded from getting education for wearing their traditional attire, Mufti said. Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra said that there is no room for 'hijab', 'naqab', 'burka', saffron and green shawls in the college campuses.
