New Delhi: Seven teachers and two officials have been suspended in Karnataka’s Gadag district after they allegedly “allowed” students wearing hijab to appear for SSLC exams on Monday, March 28.According to Times of India, the local deputy director of public instruction, Basavalingappa GM, said, “These teachers had allowed girl students to wear the hijab while writing the exam on Monday. As it was a violation of court order, we have suspended them.”Along with teachers, centre superintendents of the CS Boys High School and CS Girls High School in Gadag city have also been suspended.On March 15, the Karnataka high court upheld the state government’s decision to ban the hijab in educational institutions. While dismissing the petitions that sought permission for wearing headscarves in schools and colleges, the court ruled that headscarf was not part of the “essential religious practice of Islamic faith”. It also called for uniform dress rules to be applied across educational institutions.Also read: Who Takes Exception to the Hijab?It is alleged that the said teachers and officials welcomed all students, including those who turned out in hijab, with roses. However, they said they had only allowed students into school premises, but not into examination halls, according to The Quint.‘Hurt’ by hijab ban, students opt out of examsMeanwhile, 40 Muslim girl students from the Udupi district of Karnataka abstained from appearing for the first pre-university examination on Tuesday as they were apparently “hurt” by the recent high court verdict against the wearing of hijab inside classrooms, news agency PTI has reported.Those who shunned the examinations on Tuesday include 24 girl students from Kundapur, 14 from Byndoor and two from Udupi Government Girls PU college, who are involved in the legal fight over the wearing of hijab in classrooms. The girls had earlier boycotted the practical examinations also.At RN Shetty PU College, 13 out of 28 Muslim girl students appeared for the examination. Though some students reached the examination centre wearing hijabs, they were denied permission.Six among eight girl students of Navunda Government PU College abstained from the examinations, while only two out of 10 Muslim girls appeared for the examinations.Four out of five girl students appeared for the examinations at Bhandarkar’s college in Udupi, while all the girl students of Basrur Sharada college attended the examinations.Some private colleges in the district allowed students wearing hijab to attend the examinations, according to PTI.The Supreme Court on March 24 refused to accord an urgent hearing on the pleas challenging the Karnataka high court verdict. The students, though, are planning to wait till the apex court gives an order on the issue.(With PTI inputs)
