Hijab row: Karnataka colleges reopen amid tight security
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Bengaluru: Amid the hijab crisis, the Karnataka government on Wednesday reopened pre-university, degree and diploma colleges under tight security arrangements.
Though the majority of students attended classes as per the guidelines of education institutions, many of them who refused to take off their hijab were sent back.
Several Congress workers were taken into custody for encouraging students to wear hijab. Barring students, teachers and staff of colleges, movement of other persons have been restricted in the surrounding areas of the colleges.
Meanwhile, Home Minister Araga Jnanendra warned that the court order on uniform has to be strictly followed and that there is no question of students or anyone demanding wearing hijab or saffron shawls. "There will be an action on such persons. There will be serious consequences if the law of the land and constitution is not respected," he stated.
Education Minister BC Nagesh requested the students to attend classes and focus on studies by following state guidelines.
Mandya and Davanagere district authorities have clamped prohibitory orders surrounding all schools and colleges as a preventive measure. Udupi district from where the hijab row began has virtually been converted into a police fortress.
Eight platoons of District Armed Reserve (DAR), two platoons of Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) and 700 police officers have been deployed on the premises of all colleges and schools in Udupi. MGM College of Udupi which witnessed high-drama regarding hijab earlier has declared holiday for indefinite period. The college administration has decided to take online classes.
Hijab-clad students of Kundapur PU Government College returned home after they were not allowed to attend classes. The students were given a separate room to remove their hijab. The students maintained that they would wait for the final order of the court and until then not attend classes. Earlier, hijab wearing students were stopped at the gate and they sat on the road and protested the decision.