Hijab row: Govt issues order on dress code

Shyam SundarVattam | NT

The state government on Saturday issued an order on dress code for students studying in government and private institutions.

The order signed by S.S.Padmini, Under Secretary to the Government, Education Department (Pre-University) reads, “as per Karnataka Education Policy 1983, column 133 sub-clause (2), the students of all government schools must wear the uniform prescribed by the government. In case of private schools, the uniform fixed by the school management must be worn by the students”.

As for colleges which come under the ambit of the Pre-University Education Board, the students must wear the uniform decided by the College Development Committee (CDC) or the supervisory committee of the school management. In case the management has not decided on a dress code, then the students must wear uniform “that promotes equality and integrity and not cause problems in society”.

On Saturday morning, the College Development Committee of Kundapura College in Udupi district held an emergency meeting with parents and decided to allow students to enter the college with hijab and saffron shawls but directed the students to remove it once they entered the classrooms.

Those who wish to wear it and attend the classes would be seated in the separate classrooms, the committee said Meanwhile, in Kalburgi City, Congress MLA Kaneez Fathima participated in an agitation in support of the students wearing the hijab in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, and opined that the government must not interfere in such sensitive issues. A section of students met senior officials of Udupi district administration and appealed to them to take an early decision on the issue since it has tarnished the institution’s image.

On Saturday, students who came to attend colleges in Hassan, Udupi and Chikmagalur districts wearing saffron shawls were prevented from entering the colleges by the cops. They were allowed to attend the classes only after they removed the shawls at the main gate.

State BJP president Nalinkumar Kateel urged the students to wear uniform prescribed by their respective educational institutions.

Mysuru Narasimha Raja Assembly Constituency MLA Tanveer Sait has urged the state gove r n m e n t to resolve the matter at the earliest. He said the issue has been pending before the government since one month but the ministers concerned have not bothered to address it. Meanwhile, KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar is learnt to have collected details on the issue from leaders of Dakshina Kannada District Congress Committee. In the wake of gag orders issued by him on Friday, not many Congress leaders made any public statement on the issue.