Hijab row: Karnataka CM holds meeting, existing uniform rules to continue until HC verdict
India Today
The Karnataka High Court on February 8 will hear the petitions filed by five girls studying in a Government Pre-university College in Udupi, questioning hijab restriction in college.
In the wake of the 'hijab' (headscarf) row, the Karnataka government has asked educational institutions to follow existing uniform related rules, until the High Court comes out with an order in this regard, next week.
With the issue snowballing into a major controversy spreading to other educational institutions, and the matter coming up before the High Court, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai today held a meeting with Primary and Secondary Education Minister B C Nagesh and top government officials, regarding the government's stand.
Congress leader Siddaramaiah threw his weight behind Muslim girls on their right to wear the hijab to educational institutions, and hit out at the BJP government.
READ: Karnataka hijab row: Management pushed students, refused to give answers, says student
"As the matter is before the court, the Chief Minister today held a meeting with the Legal department and the Primary and Secondary Education departments. He has advised us to inform the government's stand to the court after getting the Advocate General's opinion. Legal department informed the meeting as to what the law and rules say," Nagesh said.
Alleging "hidden hands" behind the hijab controversy as attempts are on to make it an international news, Nagesh said, "some people who are against this country, as part of a propaganda, are doing this. They are unable to digest India's standing globally and the respect our Prime Minister is getting internationally."
Speaking to reporters here, the Minister said, rules have been framed in 2013, 2018 on the basis of the Karnataka Education Act, according to which educational institutions and its SDMC (School Development and Monitoring Committee) have the rights to prescribe the uniform to its students.
