With colleges set to reopen on Wednesday, Minister for Higher Education C.N. Ashwath Narayan has clarified that no uniform is stipulated in degree colleges, and hence, students are free to wear the dress of their choice.
The Minister told mediapersons at Chamarajnagar, ‘’But in schools and pre-university colleges where a dress code or a uniform has been prescribed, it is imperative to follow the rules.”
Mr. Narayan said the matter is being heard by the High Court of Karnataka, and there is an interim order, which everyone should abide by.
‘’The rules were not framed overnight. They are not in favour of, or against anyone, but for the collective good, and they should be adhered to,” he said.
Arguments with teachers
Meanwhile, cases of high school students being barred entry for wearing hijab, citing High Court interim order, continued on February 15.
Students wearing hijab and their parents entered into arguments with school staff in parts of Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru and Hassan districts. Several students spoke to the media questioning the government’s rule on the issue and that teachers had not read the High Court’s interim order fully. They argued that the interim order, which banned hijab and saffron shawl, was for colleges, and not schools.
Further, they said girls were covering their heads with a veil, which is a part of the school uniform. “Our children are not violating the uniform. What is wrong if they cover their heads with the veil, which is a part of the uniform?” said one parent.
Many students reached the Government High School at Indavara in Chikkamagaluru taluk wearing hijab. They were accompanied by their parents. When the school staff told them not to enter the premises with the hijab, they argued that they had the right to wear hijab. The parents, who stood by their children, said they want their children to get quality education and hence they would insist their children are not sent back home. The SSLC students were not allowed to take the preparatory examinations.
As school authorities found it difficult to handle the situation, they declared a holiday after taking permission from senior officers. Parents opposed the decision and said that schools should not be closed as the final examinations are approaching.
Meanwhile, a boy took out a saffron shawl from his bag. The police deployed at the school intervened and succeeded in convincing him to put it back in his bag.
A similar incident was reported in Mudigere where a girl argued that she had the right to wear hijab and nobody, including her parents, could force her to remove it.
In Shivamogga, a few girls walked out of Karnataka Public School as they were not allowed inside wearing hijab. On February 14 too, 13 students had skipped SSLC preparatory examinations.
A student told mediapersons that her parents had told her to return home if she was not allowed to enter the school with hijab. She argued that nobody had the right to ask her to remove her head scarf.
Similar incidents were reported at Shiralakoppa and Shikaripur in Shivamogga district, and at Belur in Hassan district.
At a meeting convened by the College Development Committee of Government PU College at Ripponpet in Hosanagar taluk in Shivamogga district, some students made it clear that they would not attend classes on February 16 if they were not allowed to wear hijab.
