Hijab row: Outsiders creating confusion, says Bommai

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday blamed “outsiders” for creating confusion in schools and colleges over the hijab row.

“It’s very simple. There’s a High Court order that everyone has to follow. While doing that, there are outsiders getting involved. That’s why there’s so much confusion,” Bommai told reporters, without elaborating on who the outsiders are.

“If these outsiders don’t interfere, then the management of educational institutions, principals, teachers, guardians, and students will resolve issues. Earlier, too, several cases were resolved locally,” he said.

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On February 10, a three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Justice Krishna S Dixit and Justice JM Khazi that is hearing petitions on the hijab row passed an interim order restraining all students “regardless of their religion or faith from wearing saffron shawls (Bhagwa), scarfs, hijab, religious flags or the like within the classroom, until further orders”.

The court said the order is confined to “such of the institutions wherein the College Development Committees have prescribed the student dress code/uniform”.

Altercations and tensions continue daily at schools and colleges where Muslim girls wearing the headscarves are being denied entry citing the interim order.

“There is confusion because of the atmosphere that has been created. We want that atmosphere to ease out,” Bommai said, adding that he would get details on incidents where FIRs have been registered against students and denial of entry to those wearing vermilion on the forehead.

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