Karnataka hijab row: Decision on reopening high schools, colleges in meeting today, says CM Bommai

“I will hold a meeting with the education minister and the home minister on the issue this evening and we will decide on the course of action,” Bommai said on the issue of the reopening of the educational institutes with only a couple of months remaining in the current academic year. Bommai also called for students to maintain peace on campuses, and said that political leaders should not make provocative statements as well. The colleges in the state were ordered to be closed for three days from February 9 in the light of protests over the issue of allowing Muslim girls to attend classes wearing hijabs or headscarves. The protests resulted in rising tensions at campuses in many parts of the state with right-wing groups insisting students must be allowed to wear saffron shawls to classes to counter the girls wearing hijabs. On February 8, the Karnataka CM ordered all high schools and colleges to close amid rising tensions. “I have given the order to close schools (high schools) and colleges ?to maintain law and order, peace and harmony… I had appealed to students, management and teachers after which I gave the directive. I didn’t want the situation to escalate or see the students being targeted,” chief minister Bommai said then. Bommai said the state government will “follow the High Court’s order” on the hijab issue. “We are waiting for the judgment (on the hijab ban case) from the High Court. The court also has appealed for peace till it issues the judgment,” he said. Bengaluru police commissioner Kamal Pant Wednesday issued an order imposing a ban on protests around schools and colleges for two weeks. “Gatherings, agitations or protests of any type within the area of a 200-meter radius from the gate(s) of schools, PU colleges, degree colleges or other similar educational institutions in Bengaluru city, prohibited for two weeks with immediate effect,” said the order. (Source:The Indian Express)