'Against my self respect': Karnataka lecturer resigns from college after being asked to take off hijab

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Bengaluru, Feb 18: The hijab controversy which erupted in BJP-ruled Karnataka, has been raging for more than a month and is yet to die down completely. The Karnataka High Court is hearing petitions on the issue, but has for now asked students to wear uniform from refrain from wearing hijab, saffron scarves or any other piece of cloth till the time the issue is resolved.

Meanwhile, a teacher has resigned from a college in Karnataka saying that she was not comfortable with removing her hijab. She said taking off the hijab hurts her self-respect.

According to reports, Chandini, an English lecturer at Jain Pre University College of Tumkur in her resignation letter, which has surfaced on social media, disclosed that she had been wearing a hijab inside the college for the last three years.

"Resigning from my position of lecturer of English subject as you demanded (from) me to remove my Hijab which I have been carrying for 3 years in your college," read the resignation letter addressed to the college principal, dated 16 February.

"Right to religion is a constitutional right which nobody could deny... I condemn your undemocratic act," Chandini wrote.

This comes a day after the Karnataka government on Thursday had ordered that the students studying in schools managed by the minority welfare department including the Maulana Azad Model English Medium schools in the state should not wear saffron scarves, Hijab or any religious flags.

A circular issued by Major Manivannan P, secretary in the department of minority welfare, Hajj and Wakf Department, said the Karnataka High Court has in its interim order restrained all the students regardless of their religion or faith from wearing saffron shawls, scarves, Hijab, religious flags or the like within the classroom, until further orders.