Hijab Controversy / Educational institutes open in Karnataka, not allowed in burqa, stirring up PFI posters

Schools and colleges, which were closed during a week-long hijab controversy in Karnataka, reopened from Wednesday. The Basavaraj Bommai government of the state has claimed that the overall situation is peaceful. State Home Minister Arga Gyanendra has said that strict action will be taken against those who violate the interim order of the High Court. Meanwhile, a poster of PFI was pasted at the gate of a Muslim school in Shivamogga town. However, the administration immediately removed that poster.

On Wednesday too, in some educational institutions in Karnataka, girls arrived wearing burqa or hijab, so they were not allowed to enter. There is also news of a ruckus on this for some time. In a discussion with news agency ANI, Minister Gyanendra said that overall the situation in the state is under control. In some places, there were incidents of girls not being allowed to wear hijab or burqa. We will abide by the interim order of the High Court. If anyone violates this order, action will be taken against him.

The hijab controversy started in Karnataka last month. After this it was seen in many states of the country. While Muslim women and girls are adamant on the right to dress of their choice, many organizations are of the opinion that the hijab cannot be allowed in educational institutions with a dress code.

The matter is pending in the Karnataka High Court. At present, the court has allowed to come to school and college wearing neither hijab, nor saffron dupatta or shawl. Along with this, the High Court has given an interim order to reopen the educational institutions of the state.

On Wednesday, in Bijapur, Kalaburagi, Vijaypur of Karnataka, the girls who reached the school wearing burqa or hijab were not given admission. Security arrangements have been tightened in the state. Big programs have already been banned in sensitive and stressed areas.

Girls not ready to come without hijab, had to leave

It is reported from Hubli that the students of Lingaraj Angadi SJMV College for Woman are not ready to come without hijab. The college management asked to follow the dress code. Some students stuck to the hijab, so a holiday had to be declared. A student said that we had come to go to class, but the management asked not to come in hijab and burqa. We are ready to remove the burqa, but will not remove the hijab.

Call to celebrate Popular Front Day

Meanwhile, news has been received from Shivamogga city that a poster of Popular Front of India (PFI) was pasted at the entrance of Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad English Medium School there. The administration hastily removed him. In this poster, PFI has called for celebrating Popular Front Day.

What is PFI

PFI is a controversial organization. There has been a demand to ban it from Uttar Pradesh to Madhya Pradesh and many other states. Earlier it was involved in CAA movements and now its name has also come in the hijab controversy. The UP Police had arrested several members of the PFI. It is said that it is a hardline Islamic organization. NIA is probing its links with ISIS and SIMI. The PFI is said to have its Kerala module working for ISIS.