Karnataka govt will abide by HC interim order on Hijab row: CM Basavaraj Bommai

Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday told the state legislative assembly that his government will abide by the High Court's interim order on the Hijab row. The Chief Minister was replying to Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah, who sought clarification from him during the zero hour, on the Higher Education Minister C N Ashwath Narayan's statement yesterday that dress code is applicable to Pre University colleges and not for Degree Colleges.

"The Higher Education Minister has stated the facts. He has said that dress code is applicable where the rules exist and it is not there for higher education institutions or Degree Colleges," Bommai said. He said that the High Court's interim order is also very clear – where there is dress code it has to be followed, and it is not applicable where it does not exist.

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"Things are very clear, our government will abide by the High Court order," he added. As protests for and against the hijab intensified in different parts of Karnataka and turned violent in some places, the government had declared a holiday for all high schools and colleges in the state for three days, from February 9, and it was subsequently extended up to February 16 for colleges.

However, the Karnataka High Court, in its interim order pending consideration of all petitions related to the hijab issue, last week had requested the state government to reopen educational institutions and restrained all the students from wearing saffron shawls, scarves, hijab and any religious flag in the classroom.