The Government of Karnataka has ordered the shutdown of all schools and colleges in the South Indian state amid an intense Hijab row.
Chief Minister Basavaraj S Bommai tweeted he has ordered all high schools and colleges to remain shut “to maintain peace and harmony”.
At a college in Mandya, a Muslim girl who entered the college was heckled with slogans of “Jai Shri Ram” by a group of saffron-clad students, but she who stood her and shouted back at them: “Allah hu Akbar!”
College rules allow students to wear the hijab in class but not during lessons, according to officials.
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The Karnataka High Court is hearing petitions filed by five women from a government college in Udupi, questioning hijab restrictions, NDTV reported.
The high court, which heard the matter today, will continue the hearing tomorrow.
The hijab protests started the last month at the Government Girls PU College in Udupi when six students alleged that they had been barred from classes for insisting on wearing the headscarf.
Right-wing groups in Udupi and Chikkamagaluru objected to Muslim girls wearing the hijab to class.
On Friday and Saturday last, a group of students marched to their college wearing saffron scarves.
The protests escalated today after groups of protesters threw stones at each other and students at a college put up a saffron flag.