Shivani Gadhavi
Published On: February 08, 2022 at 18:05 IST
The Karnataka High Court on February 8, 2022 was hearing a Plea of five female students of a Government College in Udupi, Karnataka, who were denied entry in the college premises because they were wearing hijabs.
The first such incident of denial to enter to college premises occurred on December 28, 2021, in Udupi. Since then, three Government Colleges and two private institutes have not allowed female students to enter the premises of the respective institutions, as those students were wearing hijabs.
On February 4, 2022, the matter got out of control when around hundred students along with their parents were standing outside, demanding entry into college premises, stating that the ban on their entry due to hijabs is in violation of their Constitutional Rights. However, the college Authorities stated that it is mentioned in the Law that there should be no display of religious symbols in educational institutions.
One of the students stated that, “The principal and other lecturers asked us to come to college without wearing hijab. The students said that if anyone had objections, they should bring their parents. When they came with their parents, local MLA Haladi Srinivas Shetty and others were present and no proper answers were given and the next day Notice was given by the college Authorities that a hijab is not allowed in the college.”
As the female Muslim students from Byndoor Government Preuniversity College were protesting for their Right to enter the college premises while wearing hijabs, Hindu male students of the college stood outside of the college wearing ‘saffron shawls’. The college authorities did not allow either of the students to enter the college with their hijabs and saffron shawls.
The Karnataka High Court Bench of Justice Krishna S Dixit in lights of all the facts, while hearing the Petition of the female students stated that,
“we will go by reason, by Law, not by passion or emotions. We will go by what Constitution says. Constitution is the Bhagavad Gita for me.”