Karnataka hijab ban: Petitioner girl blames college authorities of 'sowing' hatred

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Three girl students from Udupi Girls Pre-University College, who have moved to the High Court to seek consent for attending classes with hijab, were denied entry to sit for practical examinations while wearing hijab.

Later, one of the students released a video slamming the college authorities "for sowing the seeds of hatred against the hijab". The video has gone viral on social media.

Alamas A.H., Hazra Shifa and Bibi Ayesha, the three petitioners among the six college students who are studying in science stream, were denied entry on Monday.

Expressing their displeasure over social media platforms, one of the students put out a video in Kannada and Urdu languages, alleging that they were "ruthlessly asked to get out from the college premises by the Principal of the college and were warned of slapping cases against them".

The three students had come to the classroom with hijab to appear for a practical examination on Monday. The Principal of the college Rudre Gowda asked them to take exams without hijab and when they refused to take off their hijab, asked them to leave the place.

The students had also made representations to the Pre-University education department requesting to postpone the practical examinations.

Almas, one of the students, stated, "Today was our final practical exam. We had completed our record books and went in great hopes to attend the practical exam. It was so disheartening when our principal threatened us saying 'you have 5 minutes to leave, if you don't leave, I will file a police complaint.

"Right now, we should have been in our labs attending the practicals, not compelled to leave. The hopes I had from my college and my dreams are getting shattered due to the hatred sowed against hijab," she said. However, the Principal Rudre Gowda has denied the allegations.

The education department has made it clear that about 80,000 Muslim girl students are studying in Pre-University Colleges in the state and only a handful of them are objecting to attend classes without hijab. The state government has stated that they suspect the role of an organisation behind these students and the police department is probing the matter.

Meanwhile, the larger bench of the High Court constituted to look into the issue of hijab has heard the matter and posted the matter for judgment.

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