Hijab row: Karnataka schools upto 10th standard reopen today; Sec 144 in pockets

Mangaluru, Feb 14: Schools for classes upto 10th standard reopen today after they were closed in wake of Hijab row.

Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai made the announcement that the schools up to tenth standard will reopen on Monday across the state amid the raging hijab controversy that has hit the southern state.

"Schools up to 10th standard will re-open from tomorrow. I've instructed the DCs, SPs and school administrations to conduct a peace committee meeting. Schools for higher classes and degree colleges will re-open after reviewing the situation," CM Bommai told reporters.

He also said that a decision regarding reopening of Pre-University and Degree colleges will be taken after assessing the situation.

"I've instructed the DCs, SPs and school administrations to conduct a peace committee meeting. Schools for higher classes and degree colleges will re-open after reviewing the situation," ANI quoted the chief minister as saying inn Hubbali.

The state government had clamped Section 144 in sensitive areas for a week.

In Udupi, the police said that prohibitory orders under Section 144 will be in place within 200 metres of all high schools in the district from 6 am on February 14 (Monday) to 6 pm on February 19 (Friday).

The government on Friday had said that holiday announced to universities belonging to the department of Higher Education and colleges under the Department of Collegiate and Technical Education (DCTE), in the wake of the Hijab row, has been extended till February 16.

Meanwhile, a meeting of various organisations was held at Udupi on Sunday to discuss ways to maintain peace in the district in the wake of the hijab-saffron shawl row.

Udupi MLA K Raghupathi Bhat, who chaired the meeting, told reporters that the organisations that took part in the meeting responded positively to the view that untoward incidents should be avoided over the issue and everyone should wait till the High Court gave a final verdict.

The meeting asked the student community not to wear hijab or saffron shawls over the uniform during the interim period, Bhat said.

The higher secondary schools will reopen on Monday after the holiday declared by the state government. Though Bhat said all organisations were invited, the Campus Front of India (CFI), who are supporting the cause of Muslim girl students' right to wear hijab, did not attend the meeting convened by the MLA.