Several districts have promulgated prohibitory orders under section 144 of the CrPC against any gathering, agitation, or protests of any type within the area of a 200-metre radius from the gates of the schools, pre-university colleges, degree colleges or other similar educational institutions.
New Delhi: After a week-long hijab row forced holiday, schools for Classes 11, 12 and degree colleges will reopen in Karnataka on Wednesday (February 16, 2022).
The offline classes will resume amid prohibitory orders in several cities including Bengaluru, a move which is part of a precautionary measure in view of the hijab controversy.
Several districts have promulgated prohibitory orders under section 144 of the CrPC against any gathering, agitation, or protests of any type within the area of a 200-metre radius from the gates of the schools, pre-university colleges, degree colleges or other similar educational institutions.
High schools in Karnataka have already reopened on Monday after being shut from last Wednesday following untoward incidents in parts of the State over the hijab row.
Meanwhile, the Karnataka High Court will resume hearing on the petitions filed in connection with the hijab row in schools and colleges.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Muslim girls who have moved the court had argued that the Indian brand of secularism was a ‘positive’ one, unlike that of Turkey, and submitted that wearing the headscarf was an innocent practice of faith and not a display of religious jingoism.
They contended before a three-judge bench that secularism in India was not like ‘Turkey secularism’ but a positive one where all religions are recognised as true.
The girls requested the court to make a leeway to attend classes with headscarves as the court’s interim order had suspended their ‘fundamental rights’.
Referring to ‘hecklers veto’, senior counsel Devadatt Kamat, appearing for the Muslim girl students from Udupi pre-university college, said such practices of denying someone their right on the ground that they do not like the person was not good.
He also pleaded before the bench not to continue its interim order restricting the students from wearing Hijab or saffron scarves as it ‘suspends the fundamental rights’ of the Muslim girls.
It is noteworthy that in December last year, some girl students started coming to a government school in Udupi district wearing Hijab, against the prescribed uniform norm. In protest against the violation of the dress code, a section of Hindu students also started coming to classes wearing saffron shawls.
Even before the matter could be resolved, the hijab-saffron shawl controversy spread to more pre-university colleges in the state.
(With agency inputs)
