Hijab Row: Karnataka govt extends ban on protests near schools, colleges till March 8

NEW DELHI: The Karnataka government today has extended the order prohibiting gatherings, agitations or protests for and against the implementation of schools, colleges uniform rules in Bengaluru city till March 8, 2022.

The Commissioner of Police, Kamal Pant said the state government has “extended the prohibitory order till March 8. Gathering, agitation, protests and other peace disturbing activities 200 meters surrounding educational institutions are banned.”

Also read | Covid-19: Karnataka universities urged to put off degree exams by one month

The decision to extend the order prohibiting agitations was taken after protests were staged in several parts of the state for the last few weeks, the government order said.

“Since the issue is still alive and the possibility of holding protests for and against the same in Bengaluru city cannot be ruled out, it is considered appropriate to extend the prohibitory order for another two weeks to restrict gathering, agitation, protest of any type around schools, PU colleges, degree colleges or other similar educational institutions in Bengaluru city,” it said.

The Karnataka government issued a similar order on February 9. Since the end of December last year, students protesting against their schoolmates wearing hijab started coming to a college in Udupi wearing saffron scarves. The hijab-versus-saffron scarves issue then spread to some other institutions in other parts of the state such as Chikkamagaluru, Shivamogga, Hassan, Chikkaballapura, Mandya, Kalaburagi, Bagalkote, Belagavi and Vijayapura.