Hijab row: Gatherings, protests banned near educational institutes in Bengaluru

Following protests over 'hijab row' in parts of Karnataka, Police department on Wednesday issued order on banning gatherings, agitations or protests near educational institutions in Bengaluru. The decision comes a day after the Karnataka government had ordered closure of all high schools and colleges in the state for three days.

"Gatherings, agitations or protest of any type within the area of 200-meter radius from the gate(s) of schools, PU colleges, degree colleges or other similar educational institutions in Bengaluru city, prohibited for two weeks with immediate effect," the order stated. 

Meanwhile, the Karnataka cabinet on Wednesday decided to wait for the High Court's verdict on the 'hijab' row, before taking any further decision on the matter, which has snowballed into a major controversy.

The Karnataka High Court resumed hearing on the petitions filed by five girls studying in a Government Pre-university College in Udupi, questioning hijab restriction in the college. Later, the single bench hearing the Hijab case referred the matter to the Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court. 

The bench said these matters give rise to certain constitutional questions of seminal importance in view of certain aspects of personal law, according to news agency PTI.

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 to all high schools and colleges in the state for three days.

Last week, the government had issued an order making uniforms prescribed by it or management of private institutions mandatory for its students at schools and pre-university colleges across the state.

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