Karnataka Hijab row: Students are being instigated, alleges education minister BC Nagesh
India Today
Karnataka education minister BC Nagesh said that a few miscreants have disturbed the atmosphere in Karnataka. He added that the students were being instigated to protest, and that initially, only 6 girls, in one college, wanted to wear hijabs to classes.
In regards to the ongoing Hijab controversy in Karnataka, education minister BC Nagesh said, “unnecessarily, some miscreants have started disturbing the atmosphere in Karnataka. Students are being instigated to protest. It was only an issue in one college in Udupi initially. There are 6 PU colleges in Udupi. 6 girls wanted to wear hijab to classes.”
He issued this statement on Tuesday, February 8, while the Karnataka HC was hearing petitions seeking to allow students to wear hijabs to classes. Protests turned violent in Bagalkot, resulting in stone pelting by protesters and police resorting to lathi charge to maintain law and order.
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Education minister BC Nagesh said that, “according to Karnataka Education Act, Rule number 11, no student can come inside school without uniforms.”
He stated that the protest was initially orchestrated by political groups. “I heard and read reports which said that political groups were involved in the initial incident. However, it wasn’t very successful as they weren’t able to convince the girls.”
It can be recalled that the hijab row began in Udupi on January 1, 2022, when six Muslim girls were barred from attending classes while wearing hijabs. The girls began protesting outside the campus, which soon garnered media attention and political support.
Speaking on this, minister BC Nagesh said, “the local MLA convinced the children and they were almost ready to accept it, but some political forces intervened in the issue.”
