Hijab Row: Why are Muslim students protesting in India?

Hijab Row: After student protests over hijabs in schools and colleges, India’s Karnataka government ordered the closure of all educational institutions for three days on Tuesday.

Protests erupted when the state’s highest court heard a petition about the wearing of traditional Muslim headscarves in educational institutions.

After widespread protests on campus by students affiliated with Hindu right-wing groups, state chief minister Basavaraj S Bommai ordered the closures.

The new round of protests has heightened tensions in a location where it is anticipated that community sensitivities over the dispute would lead to bloodshed.

“I appeal to all students, teachers, and school and college administration, as well as the people of Karnataka, to maintain peace and unity,” Mr Bommai wrote on Twitter.

I appeal to all the students, teachers and management of schools and colleges as well as people of karnataka to maintain peace and harmony. I have ordered closure of all high schools and colleges for next three days. All concerned are requested to cooperate.

— Basavaraj S Bommai (@BSBommai) February 8, 2022

Videos on TV stations and social media showed hundreds of students donning saffron shawls – a colour associated with right-wing Hindu organisations – demonstrating and screaming slogans in opposition to Muslim females who were excluded from class for wearing the hijab.

The debate began in December in Udupi, but has recently escalated, with members of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party battling with opposition leaders over the matter.

Several female Muslim students challenged the ban decision in the Karnataka High Court, arguing that it violated their fundamental freedom to practise religion.

“This court demands that the student body and the general public maintain peace and tranquillity.” “This court has complete faith in the intelligence and virtue of the general public,” Justice Krishna Dixit stated as he postponed the case till Wednesday.

Students protesting outside their college in Karnataka. They are again denied their entry in to the college for wearing #hijab.
More courage and Duas to you brave ladies.

All apartheid walls shall fall. #HijabisOurRight pic.twitter.com/Ah0fOiNE64

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— Aysha Renna (@AyshaRenna) February 4, 2022

The hijab row

The hijab dispute began in late December when six Muslim students at Udupi’s state-run Women’s Pre-University College were barred from entering their classrooms for violating uniform standards.

For three days, the students protested outside their classroom, resulting in a squabble that spread to other colleges.

Scores of male Hindu students turned up wearing saffron scarves to counter protesters.

However, by the first week of January, the protests had been so intense that the college administration was obliged to allow the young ladies to attend lessons, although in a different room.

The college administration met with parents, government authorities, and female students on January 19 to try to resolve the problem, but there was no resolution.

The young women began demonstrating outside the school the next day, demanding that they be permitted to attend regular lessons.

What the hell.
Separate class room for Muslim women? https://t.co/sdPcZ7gyZi

— Aysha Renna (@AyshaRenna) February 7, 2022

The state government formed an expert group to address the issue and mandated that all students follow uniform guidelines until the recommendations were received.

On January 31, one of the students petitioned the Karnataka High Court, claiming that the hijab constituted a basic right under the Indian constitution, which grants the right to profess, practice, and propagate religion.

Full-blown controversy

On February 1, the students arrived at college wearing headscarves but were asked to take them off. They rejected and staged a demonstration at the gates.

Since then, other colleges throughout the state have implemented a no-hijab policy.

Last Friday, at least 40 women were detained at Bhandarkars’ Arts and Science Degree College in the same district.

Social media users were outraged after seeing videos of the youngsters pleading with the principal to let them in.

Hundreds of students, both male and female, soon arrived at the campus wearing saffron scarves in protest of the Muslim women.

Videos of them singing “Jai Shri Ram” — a traditional Hindu salutation that has become a battle cry frequently raised by right-wing groups in recent years – sparked a political uproar.

Students from the Dalit community, a low caste in Hindu tradition, wore blue scarves in solidarity with the women on Monday.

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When Muslim girl arrives at PES College, She's been heckled by several 'students' wearing #saffronshawls #KarnatakaHijabRow pic.twitter.com/qa3UDbMPST

— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) February 8, 2022

This is called guts and courage 💪#HijabIsFundamentalRight #HijabisOurRight #Hijab pic.twitter.com/dIavYtVa9B

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— Maheboob Bagwan (@Maheboobbagwa1) February 8, 2022

Political slugfest

A political struggle has developed since videos of the hijab vs. saffron scarves debate went viral.

The state government, which is run by Mr Modi’s ruling party, has backed the colleges, but on Saturday it also outlawed clothing that “disturbs equality, integrity, and public law and order.”

The demands have been linked with “the Taliban” by the party’s officials, who have advised that Muslim women who choose to wear the hijab attend madrassas.

The state education minister has stated that “secret hands” are driving the controversy.

Opposition parties, however, accuse the government of violating students’ fundamental right to an education.

The administration, according to Rahul Gandhi, head of the main opposition party, is robbing the girls of their future.