Authorities in southern India have ordered schools to shut as protests intensified over a ban on Islamic headscarves, also known as hijab, that has outraged Muslim students.The standoff in Karnataka state has galvanised fears among the minority community about what they say is increasing persecution under the Hindu nationalist government of the prime minister, Narendra Modi, The Guardian UK reports.
In fresh demonstrations on Tuesday, officers fired teargas to disperse a crowd at one government-run campus, while a heavy police presence was seen at schools in nearby towns.The chief minister, Basavaraj Bommai, appealed for calm after announcing that all high schools in the state would be closed for three days. “I appeal to all the students, teachers and management of schools and colleges … to maintain peace and harmony,” he said.
“All of a sudden they are saying you are not supposed to wear hijab … why did they start now?” said Ayesha, a teenage student at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial College in the coastal city of Udupi.Ayesha said a teacher had turned her away from her chemistry exam for wearing the garment. “We are not against any religion. We are not protesting against anyone. It is just for our own rights,” she told AFP.
The issue of Muslim women wearing hijabs had cropped up in a few other colleges in Karnataka earlier too, but it started gaining momentum when photos of the women protesters in Udupi went viral, BBC News reports.Soon, Hindu students in some other colleges began coming to classes wearing saffron shawls – this forced officials to insist that both couldn't be allowed on campus.
On Wednesday, Justice Krishna Dixit, who was hearing two petitions filed on behalf of the Muslim women protesters, said that the matter should be referred to a larger bench, according to BBC News.
Religion, religion, religion.... Yet some claim to be thinking people.
Is there somethings we don't know about the issue behind the hijab? We care to know.