Hijab versus saffron shawl issue enters other dist

The hijab row is spreading fast to other districts of the state, a group of students of I S Yadwad First Grade Govt Degree College in Ramdurg town of Belagavi district had arrived in college wearing saffron shawls on February 2. But the incident came to light only on February 4 after related video clips and photographs surfaced on social media.

When the authorities told them to enter the class only after removing the saffron shawl, the students told that they should be allowed to enter, if Muslim girls wearing hijab were allowed to attend classes. A few students defended wearing shawls as part of Hanuma Vrutha.

The students were accompanied by some local right wing leaders, who argued in favour of saffron shawls. However, the principal, staff, and some police officers convinced the students to attend classes only after removing the saffron shawls.

These developments disrupted the college for a few hours.

Later, some leaders went to the police station and argued with the sub inspector that Hindu boys and girls should be allowed to come to college wearing saffron shawls.

A video of the police officer refusing to accept their demand and warning them not to create communal problems in his jurisdiction was also shared on social media.

The hijab row started with six students of Government Udupi Pre-University College being sent out of classes for wearing veils along with uniform a month ago. The students have demanded that they should be allowed to wear hijab as it is their constitutional and religious right. However, college management flatly refused their demand saying that the rule which has been in place since decades regarding uniforms does not allow wearing of hijab.

Meanwhile, the hijab row is threatening to snowball into a big crisis in the state as the trend is being replicated by other colleges leading to create communal divide between student communities. Hindu students in other colleges have starting to attend classes in saffron shawls to counter the wearing of hijab by Muslim girl students. The hijab versus saffron shawl issue surfaced first in Kundapur Pre-University College in Udupi district, Bhandarkar’s College in Kundapur and Sir M Vishweshwaraya Government College Arts and Commerce Degree College in Bhadravathi of Shivamogga district.