Hijab-saffron shawl controversy lingers in Karnataka colleges

The hijab-saffron shawl row in the junior colleges at Kundapur in Karnataka's Udupi district continued on Monday, with students in two junior colleges trying to defy the government order mandating uniforms stipulated by the state government or respective managements of the institutions.

The state education department had issued the order on Saturday.

A group of students studying at Venkataramana College in Kundapur came in a procession to the college on Monday wearing saffron shawls. They were prevented from entering the premises by the college principal and the police personnel present there.

The students said they will wear the shawls if hijab-wearing girls were allowed in classes. They agreed to enter the classes removing their shawls only after the principal assured them that no hijab-wearing students will be allowed to enter classrooms.

At the Government PU College in Kundapur also, the principal talked to Muslim girl students who came wearing hijabs and explained to them the government's order.

As the students continued to insist on wearing the headscarves, they were asked to go to a separate room arranged for them.

There was widespread criticism against the way the girls were made to protest outside the college gate last week.