Karnataka’s Muslim Leader Who Supported Government Stand Against Hijab In Schools Receives Threat Calls

What began as a protest by six girls in a college in Udupi has now panned the entire state with students across Karnataka protesting for and against the demand for Hijab in educational institutions.

Meanwhile, Muslim leaders who tried to talk the girls out of their demand have said they are now receiving threat calls for having supported the government.

As per reports, President of Karnataka Beary Sahitya Academy Rahim Uchchila has lodged a complaint at the Mangaluru South Police Station saying he received a call from an unknown number who not only abused him but also threatened him.

Uchhila along, with Udupi MLA Raghupati Bhat, had tried to convince the protesting girls and their parents against their demand to wear Hijab to class at the Women’s Govt PU College in Udupi.

“I have registered a complaint and the police will investigate the same. I am not going to be cowed down by such threat calls,” said Ucchila, speaking to media persons.

Despite the government issuing orders for maintenance of status quo as far as uniforms are concerned, students in various colleges across the state turned up sporting the Hijab, refusing to follow state orders. In response, Hindu students were seen sporting saffron shawls around their necks, and agreed to take them off on being instructed to do so in the respective institutions.

Meanwhile, Udupi MLA and head of the College Development Committee of the college where the issue began has said the management is all set backed by documentary evidence to defend its case.

”We have written documents from 2002, and class-wise photographs of all students have been clicked since 2008 — wherein not a single student is seen sporting the Hijab. We have pictures clicked during the College assembly, where no student is seen wearing the headscarf. As late as November 1 during the Rajyotsava celebrations, all images show there are no students wearing the Hijab. The student who has gone to court is head of a students union and we have images of her swearing-in where she is not wearing the Hijab,” said Bhat, as quoted.

The case will be heard at the Karnataka High Court tomorrow (February 8). As reported by Live Law, the petition has been filed by one of the six protesting students seeking a declaration that wearing a hijab (head scarf) is ‘a Fundamental Right guaranteed under Article 14 and 25 of the Constitution of India and is an essential practise of Islam’.

As reported, the plea states that the manner in which the respondent college has ‘ousted the petitioner not only creates a stigma amongst her batchmates but among the children of the entire college which in turn will affect the mental health as well as future prospects of the petitioner."

The petition also accuses the government of having ‘failed in its duty to realise the right to human development by denying the petitioner her education’.