‘BJP failed to handle hijab row effectively’

Shyam Sundar Vattam I NT 
The hijab row which started from a government college in Udupi, has spread everywhere and had the college principal handled the issue effectively, it would not have assumed global proportions, remarked JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy.

Speaking on calling attention moved in the Legislative Assembly here on Wednesday Kumaraswamy said the row has ignited a confrontation between the two communities. The High Court of Karnataka, in its final verdict, had spoken about unseen hands behind the row. Some forces like Campus Front of India had 'instigated' the students at a time when there was a cordial atmosphere in the field of education and Karnataka was known as an educational hub. It is not right to create a confrontation which would impact the minds of students, he cautioned.

The JD(S) leader said the initial feeling was that the hijab row had led to the murder of Bajrang Dal activist Harsha in Shivamogga City. This view was echoed by Harsha's sister too but they need to ponder over her statement. An impartial inquiry would reveal the truth behind the brutal murder of Harsha. Muslim legislators led by U.T. Khader have blamed the SDPI and PFI for the unsavoury incidents connected with the hijab controversy. There has been allegations on the alleged involvement of the BJP and Bajrang Dal behind the violence in Shivamogga City following the murder, he said.

Kumaraswamy also claimed that only 96 students were wearing the hijab in Udupi and only six students of the Udupi college had sought permission to wear it to college. If the college principal had convinced them, the situation would not have gone out of control.

The government must allow students to wear the hijab where it was allowed in the past and deny permission in new colleges and this alone can restore peace in schools and colleges, he added.