On Friday, the Karnataka Police registered an FIR against at least 10 Muslim students who had protested on February 16 against the hijab ban outside the Girls Empress Govt PU College in Tumkur. The FIR was registered based on an official complaint by the Principal of the college for violating prohibitory orders issued under Section 144 of CrPC by staging a public protest.
Karnataka: Police have registered an FIR against at least 10 girls for violating prohibitory orders issued under Section 144 of CrPC by staging a protest against the hijab rule outside Girls Empress Govt PU College in Tumkur on Feb 17, under Sections 143, 145, 188 and 149 of IPC
— ANI (@ANI) February 19, 2022
The Muslim girl students on Wednesday had yelled ‘Allah-hu-Akbar, Allah-hu-Akbar’ slogans as they walked down on the streets against the college after they were asked to remove the burqa and hijab they were wearing before entering the college premises in accordance with the Karnataka High Court’s interim decision.
The High Court last week had declared that nobody would dress up in religious attire in the educational institutes until the matter was being heard. The women were seen wearing hijab and burqa even after the HC’s order and kept on protesting for ‘justice’ as the colleges reopened on February 16.
कर्नाटक के तुमकुर में हिज़ाब एवं बुर्क़ा पहनी मुस्लिम छात्राओं को कॉलेज में प्रवेश नहीं मिलने के बाद उनके द्वारा ‘अल्लाहु अकबर’ के नारों के साथ प्रोटेस्ट निकाला गया…@PriyankaRudrapa pic.twitter.com/9900QfDt2F
— Ashraf Hussain (@AshrafFem) February 16, 2022
The Karnataka govt had imposed section 144 in Tumkur district ahead of the college reopening in order to prevent violence. The prohibitory order applied in and around 200 meters from the college in Tumkur. The students demanding their right to wear hijab and attend classes were seen creating high drama in the college premises amid the hijab row.
The development came days after Karnataka Home Minister warned the hijab lobby and said that strict action will be taken if protests favouring hijab continue in the state of Karnataka. He stated that there would be no soft approach towards the students anymore.
The Hijab protests in Karnataka started in the month of January when some students of Government Girls PU college in Udupi alleged that they had been barred from attending classes. During the protests, some students claimed they were denied entry into the college for wearing hijab. Later, the pre-University education board had released a circular stating that students can wear only the uniform approved by the school administration.
Meanwhile, the Karnataka High Court while hearing various pleas challenging a ban on hijab in the state issued an appeal to the student community and the public at large to maintain peace and tranquility. The FIR by the Girls Empress Govt PU college in Tumkur has charged the Muslim protesters under Sections 143, 145, 188 and 149 of IPC.
