Ban on “clothing that disturbs law and order” in Karnataka

Amid the ongoing controversy over the hijab or headscarf worn by Muslim girls in schools and colleges in Karnataka, Hindu students on Saturday took out a march wearing saffron scarves and shouting slogans. The incident prompted the state government to ban clothing that was “disturbing equality, integrity and public order”.

Amid escalating controversy over hijab in educational institutions in Karnataka, the state government on Saturday ordered a ban on wearing such clothes that disturb equality, integrity and public order in schools and colleges. The government order said, “Section 133(2) of the Karnataka Education Act, 1983 has been invoked which provides that uniform style of dress should compulsorily be worn. Private school administration can choose the dress of their choice.

It has been said in the government order that the students will have to wear the dress prescribed by the College Development Committee or the Appellate Committee of the Administrative Board of the colleges. According to the order, “in the event of non-selection of the dress by the Administrative Committee, one should not wear clothes that violate equality, integrity and law and order.”

The government order states that the Karnataka Education Act, 1983 states that all students should wear uniform dress so that they look alike and behave in such a way that there is no discrimination.

The order said that a common program has been prepared for all the schools and colleges of the state for the benefit of the students. It said, “However, the Education Department has observed that in some educational institutions boys and girls have started behaving according to their religion, thereby affecting equality and unity.” In favor of dress in the order. Judgments of the Supreme Court of India and various High Courts were also cited.

There have been several incidents in the state where Muslim girl students are not being allowed to attend classes in colleges or colleges in hijab, while Hindu students are coming to educational institutions carrying saffron shawls in response to the hijab.

The controversy over the issue started in January in Udupi and Chikkamagaluru, where girls had come to classes wearing hijabs. After this, similar cases came to Kundapur and some other colleges in Bindur also. Later similar cases were also reported from some other places where Muslim girls demanded permission to go to classes wearing hijab.

Meanwhile, the hijab controversy has taken a political colour. The ruling party in the state, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), said the government would not allow ‘Talibanisation’ of the education system. At the same time, the opposition Congress has come out in support of Muslim girls.

Karnataka’s Congress Legislature Party leader and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has supported Muslim girls on their right to wear hijab in educational institutions. He accused the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of trying to create communal disharmony in the entire state in the name of hijab. He urged Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to handle the matter and arrest those instigating the people.

Siddaramaiah claimed that the main agenda of the Sangh Parivar is to deprive Muslim girls of education in the name of hijab. Siddaramaiah said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks about ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’. Are they not aware of this incident? That barring girl students wearing hijab from entering the school is a violation of their fundamental rights.

On the other hand, BJP state unit chief Nalin Kumar Kateel said that the state government will not allow ‘Talibanisation’ of the education system. “There is no scope for such things (wearing hijab in classes),” Kateel told reporters. Our government will take strict action. People have to follow the rules of the school. We will not allow Talibanisation (of the education system).

Kateel said that it is not proper to include religion in educational institutions. He said that children only need education. Kateel also hit out at Siddaramaiah and accused him of celebrating Tipu Jayanti and bringing in schemes like ‘Shaadi Bhagya’ to create rifts between communities when he was chief minister.

The BJP leader said, “Hijab or any such thing is not needed in schools. The school is a temple of Saraswati. The job of the students is only to read and write and follow the rules and regulations of the school.

As the matter reached the High Court, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday held a meeting with Primary and Secondary Education Minister B C Nagesh and top government officials regarding the government’s stand. The state government has asked educational institutions to adhere to the existing dress rules till the High Court passes an order in this regard next week.

The Karnataka High Court will hear on February 8 petitions filed by five girls studying in a government college in Udupi challenging the order banning hijab in the institute.

Janata Dal (Secular) leader and former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy hit out at both BJP and Congress for the controversy, saying instead of ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’, they are trying to make it ‘Beti Hatao’, “They should stop this.”

Terming the hijab controversy as a “planned conspiracy”, Kannada and Culture Minister V Sunil Kumar said hijab or burqa can be worn from home to college campus, but everyone should wear the prescribed dress when entering classes and that is the system.