Refusing to let girls go to school in their hijabs is horrifying: Malala Yousafzai

New Delhi, Feb 09: Women's rights activist Malala Yousafzai has reacted to the controversy over Muslim students alleging that they were not allowed to enter campuses and classrooms wearing the hijab in Karnataka.

"College is forcing us to choose between studies and the hijab", Malala tweeted.

"Refusing to let girls go to school in their hijabs is horrifying. Objectification of women persists - for wearing less or more. Indian leaders must stop the marginalisation of Muslim women," she added.

Incidents of stone pelting and use of force by police were reported on Tuesday as the hijab row in Karnataka escalated and protests by students spread to more colleges prompting the state government to declare a three-day holiday for all educational institutions.

As the Karnataka High Court and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai appealed to all students and people to maintain peace and calm, Primary and Secondary Education Minister B C Nagesh claimed that according to a report the Campus Front of India (CFI) is said to have incited the Hijab row, and this will be investigated. CFI is the student wing of the Islamic outfit Popular Front of India(PFI).

The high court, which is looking into pleas by some Muslim girl students on their right to wear a headscarf and will resume hearing on Wednesday, observed that only ''some mischievous people'' were keeping the Hijab issue burning.

Protests erupted at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial College in Udupi after a large group of students wearing saffron stoles and head-gears raised slogans in the college campus while hijab-clad Muslim girls were staging a protest demanding justice.

Tension prevailed at some educational institutions in Udupi, Shivamogga and Bagalkote, forcing the police and authorities to intervene.

A stone pelting incident was reported near a college in Bagalkote's Rabkavi Banhatti and a few students even tried to barge into the campus. Police dispersed them using mild force. A couple of students and a teacher are said to be injured in the incident.

A similar incident was also reported from Shivamogga district, and police had to intervene to bring the tense situation under control. Police have detained some people including students. Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC were clamped in Shivamogga city for two days.

Some students even tried to hoist the saffron flag at the college premises in Shivamogga.

Protests by students were also reported at educational institutions in the districts of Vijayapura, Gadag, Dakshina Kannada, Davangere and Chitradurga.

Chief Minister Bommai appealed to all students, teachers and management of schools and colleges as well as people of Karnataka to maintain peace and harmony.