As the hijab-saffron shawls row continues to flare in the state of Karnataka, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and Minister of Primary and Secondary Education BC Nagesh implored students to not get provoked and instead, follow the government orders with regards to mandatory uniforms.
The Chief Minister, who is currently in Delhi, emphasised that all students should follow the government order and not disrupt peace. "The court order is coming tomorrow (Tuesday). The state government will take a decision on the issue once the order comes. As the case is before the court, I don't want to speak about it," he was quoted by PTI.
The Chief Minister also went on to state that there are certain forces that are responsible for stirring up the row, as it had flared earlier in Kerala and Maharashtra as well.
Meanwhile, Minister BC Nagesh informed that, "The students must come wearing uniforms to the colleges. Students wearing hijabs and saffron shawls will not be permitted to enter. It's your wish that until you reach college entrance you can wear clothes of your choice. Once you come inside the gate, you have to be in uniform."
The minister also defended the measure that was taken which involved sending those students who were wearing hijab and those who donned saffron shawls to separate rooms at the Udupi Government PU College and said that after the order from High Court, the government will frame rules with regards to uniforms.
Even the authorities at Kundapur Government Pre University College sent hijab-wearing and saffron shawls-clad students in separate rooms.
Mohan Das Shenoy, the College Development Committee spokesperson, said that though Muslim students who were protesting outside the college will be in separate rooms, they will not be allowed to attend classes unless they remove their hijab.
The hijab row has now spread across the state, including in Chikkaballapur, Chikkamagalur, Hassan, Mandya and Vijayapura.
