Hijab row: PU and degree colleges in Karnataka to reopen from Feb 16

Bengaluru, Feb 14: The Karnataka government on Monday announced that the pre-university and degree colleges, which were shut due to Hijab controversy, across the state will reopen from Thursday, February 16.

The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, which was attended by Home Minister Araga Jnanendra, Primary and Secondary Education Minister B C Nagesh, Higher Education Minister C N Ashwath Narayan, and senior officials of the government.

"At the meeting, the current situation in the state was analysed. It was decided to reopen PU and Degree colleges from Wednesday," Nagesh said. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, he said the colleges will reopen on the basis of the Karnataka High Court's interim order.

"Wherever (in colleges) there are uniform related rules, it has to be strictly followed. Where a uniform is not there, the dress code will be decided. We will strictly follow the High Court order," he added.

Home Minister Jnanendra said police are with educational institutions and see to it that there is no disturbance to peace. Police officials are gathering information regarding how the row got escalated, and investigation is on in this regard.

Following the protests for and against Hijab, the state government had decided to shut schools and colleges in the state for three days from February 9 and it was extended up to February 16.

However, the Karnataka High Court, in its interim order pending consideration of all petitions related to the hijab row, last week had requested the state government to reopen educational institutions and restrained all the students from wearing saffron shawls, scarves, hijab and any religious flag within the classroom.

Following the court order, the government had decided to resume classes for high school students up to Class 10 from February 14, and for pre-university and degree colleges thereafter, and accordingly high schools across the state reopened today.

The Hijab protests began on February 4 at the Government Girls PU college in Udupi district in Karnataka when some students alleged that they had been barred from attending classes. During the protests, some students were allegedly denied entry to college wearing hijab by Muslim women earlier this month. On Tuesday, the Karnataka High Court also appealed to the student community and the public at large to maintain peace and tranquillity while hearing various pleas challenging a ban on hijab in the state.