Karnataka: The BJD activists protested in front of the government PUC college in Indi in Vijayapura district after authorities stopped a male student who had applied sindoor (vermilion). The student was denied entry and returned if he wouldn’t remove the sindoor before entering the college.
The protests flamed when the incident spread in locals triggering the Bajrang Dal activists to slogan against the college and its staff. Pramod Mutalik, founder of Sri Ram Sene supporting the activists sought strict action against the lecturers claiming sindoor application was a culture of the country and not a religious symbol. He claimed that an international conspiracy is on behind the pro-hijab movement.
Meanwhile, in the Tumakuru district, an FIR was lodged against students for violating prohibitory orders passed by the HC. The Principal of Empress College of Tumakuru lodged a complaint with the Tumakuru City Police against 15 to 20 students for violating prohibitory orders in the last two days. The students demanding their right to wear hijab and attend classes created high drama in the college premises by staging a protest.
This is the first legal action sorted against students protesting against authorities seeking the right to practice Hijab in colleges. The complaint was lodged after Home Minister Araga Jananendra stated that the authorities would not resort to tough measures against those violating interim orders passed by the HC.
The Karnataka HC hearing the pleas moved by Muslim girls fighting for their right to practice Hijab is being heard in a row from the past few days. The court in an interim order had instructed all students to refrain from donning any religious attire to the educational institutions. The petitioner in its argument yesterday urged the HC to let girls wear Hijab at least on Fridays and during the month of Ramzan.