Schools reopening amid tense atmosphere

Bengaluru: Amid an uneasy atmosphere and tension schools up to class 10 are reopening on Monday after a three-day holiday declared by the government on February 9 after outbreak of violence over the hijab issue.

Heavy police security is in place at schools in Udupi and Bengaluru Rural districts and only students, teachers and non-teaching staff will be allowed in schools.

Udupi DC Kurma Rao has issued prohibitory orders invoking section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in a 200-meter radius of all high schools in the district to ensure that no untoward incidents occur as high schools resume on February 14 following the hijab row.

From 6 a.m. on February 14 until 6 p.m. on February 19, this precautionary measure will be in effect.

On the request of the three Sub Divisional Police Officers of the Udupi district, a prohibitory order has been issued to ensure that no adverse incidents occur. Kurma Rao stated.

On February 11, Udupi SP Vishnuvardhan wrote a letter to DC noting that prohibitory orders may be needed to preserve a quiet environment around school grounds.

The hijab debate started in Udupi City and quickly spread to Kundapur and other parts of the State.

Bengaluru Commissioner of Police Kamal Panth has talked tough over disruptive activities like holding demos, sloganeering and unnecessarily moving around the schools and similar activities.

Meanwhile, two very important meetings were held in Udupi and Tumakuru districts. In Tumukuru Siddaganga Mutt Swamiji Siddalinga Mahawamiji met the Wakf Board Chairman Moulana Sahfi Saedi on Sunday. After the two leaders met for little more than 30 minutes, they declared that nobody should bring religion and politics into education. The things that have gone wrong recently in Karnataka has done enough damage to peace and harmony, now it is time for religious activism to take a back seat and let civil society take over in restoring social order.

In Udupi, a peace committee was formed and religious leaders from several organisations met along with district officials. "We are asking for the student's constitutional rights, but we reiterate that our objective is to bring the students back to school" said the district president of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI). "We will work towards total integration of the society" he said.