Hijab row: Karnataka extends holiday for universities, colleges till February 16

The Karnataka government has extended holiday for all the universities under the Department of Higher Education and colleges under the Department of Collegiate and Technical Education (DCTE) till February 16 in view of the Hijab row, announced Minister of Higher Education Dr CN Ashwatha Narayana while requesting everyone to maintain law and order.

The holiday starting from February 12 up to February 16 is applicable for government, aided, unaided degree colleges, diploma, and engineering colleges.

The hijab protests began last month when a few students at the Government Girls PU college in Karnataka's Udupi district alleged that they had been barred from attending the classroom. During the protests, some students claimed that they were not allowed to enter inside the classroom for wearing hijabs. 

The Hijab protests plagued Karnataka after some students were allegedly denied entry to the classroom wearing the hijab, a headscarf worn by Muslim women, earlier this month. The protests began last month at the Government Girls PU college in Udupi district when some students alleged that they had been barred from attending classes for wearing hijabs.

On Thursday, Karnataka High Court, after hearing petitions challenging the ban on Hijab in colleges, asked students not to wear 'religious things' till the disposal of the matter. The HC bench led by Ritu Raj Awasthi will continue hearing the matter on Monday, February 14.

Karnataka Hijab row: SC refuses urgent hearing on pleas against HC's interim order

Earlier in the day, Supreme Court refused to hear urgent pleas relating to the Hijab row and stated that it is "watching" what's happening in Karnataka and in hearing before Karnataka HC. A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana said that they will look into the issue at an "appropriate time" as the High Court is seized of the matter and even suggested lawyers to not make it a national issue.

"I don't want to express anything. Don't take it on a larger level. We also know what is happening in the state and hearing in the High Court. You also have to think over whether it's proper to bring it to Delhi. Definitely, we will examine and we will have to protect Constitutional rights. Let us see appropriate time, we will hear," CJI observed.

Image: PTI