Bengaluru College cites High Court order, asks Sikh student to remove Turban
Bengaluru: In the background of the ongoing Hijab row in the state, Times of India reported that the Mount Carmel PU College in the city asked a 17-year-old Amritdhari (Baptized) Sikh girl student to remove her Turban in compliance with the dress code prescribed by the institution.
The College claimed that it was following the interim order released on February 10, by the Karnataka High Court which states, “Pending consideration of all these petitions, we restrain all the students regardless of their religion or faith from wearing saffron shawls (Bhagwa), scarfs, hijab, religious flags or the like within the classroom, until further orders”, in the point 10 of the released order.
According to TOI, the college authorities asked the student to remove her Turban on February 16, stating the HC order. However the student refused to comply, it is learned. The parents of the Sikh student have clarified that the College had been accommodating thus far and had not discriminated against their daughter. They insisted that the state government and High Court needs to issue clarifications about the interim order.
As per the IANS report, the issue began when G. Sriram, deputy director of PU Education, who was inspecting the college during practical exams on Monday, directed two students to remove their hijab as per the court order. This led to outrage among the students and they demanded that the order be applied equally to all students without any exceptions. Parents of college students who were asked to remove hijab by the authorities have demanded that the order of the High Court must be enforced equally on all students.
According to the Times of India Report, a Mount Carmel PU College spokesperson said, "We have had no issues with the girl wearing the turban so far. When the college reopened on February 16, we informed all students about the high court order and we went on with our normal activities. On Tuesday, when the DDPU (North) visited the college he found a group of girls in hijab and told them to come to the office and told them about the high court order. These girls have been demanding now that no girls should be allowed to wear their religious symbols and therefore the Sikh girl also should not be allowed to wear the turban. We spoke to the girl's father and later mailed him. We informed them about the order and told them to abide by it. The father responded that it (the turban) is an integral part of their life. We did not want to interfere, but the other girls have been insisting on uniformity and hence we sent the mail," they said.
The student’s father Gurcharan Singh, who is a senior level employee in a major IT company and has been living in Karnataka for the past 17 years, told the TOI that he told college authorities she would not remove her turban.
"She has never faced any discrimination in the college till now. Now, also they seem to be caught in a piquant situation while responding to the high court order," he told TOI.
He wrote to the college that the high court order did not mention anything about ‘Sikh turban' and it should not be misunderstood. "However, I am also in touch with our community advocates and various organizations," he said, urging the authorities to allow his daughter with her turban to attend classes. After the latest interaction with college authorities, Gurcharan Singh has approached senior advocate HS Phoolka and sought his opinion.
"I am sending my opinion to him that neither the HC order nor government order bars Sikh turban," said Phoolka, when contacted by TOI on Wednesday evening. On Wednesday, the college met the girl's father but the meeting was inconclusive
Gurcharan Singh has apprised Jeetendra Singh, administrator of Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Ulsoor, Bengaluru, about the issue.
The content of the letter revealed by the TOI states, "Asking a Sikh to remove his/her turban is a big insult to a Sikh and entire Sikh community. We also stand by those Muslim girls/women who want to cover their head with scarf/dupatta as a part of their faith and request authorities to allow them to do so as it was already practised in our country and it does not cause any trouble to other people. The colour of the scarf and dastaar (turban) can match the uniform of the institution," he wrote.
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Parliament passes Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025
New Delhi (PTI): Parliament early Friday passed the contentious Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, after it was approved by the Rajya Sabha.
The Lok Sabha had on Thursday approved the Bill after over a 12-hour debate.
In Rajya Sabha, the Bill got 128 votes in its favour and 95 against after all the amendments moved by the opposition were rejected.
In the lower house, the bill was supported by 288 MPs while 232 voted against it.
Participating in a debate in the Rajya Sabha, Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the Bill was brought with a number of amendments based on suggestions given by various stakeholders.
"The Waqf Board is a statutory body. All government bodies should be secular," the minister said, explaining the inclusion of non-Muslims on the board.
He, however, said the number of non-Muslims has been restricted to only four out of 22.
Rijiju also alleged that the Congress and other opposition parties, and not the BJP, were trying to scare Muslims with the Waqf Bill.
"You (opposition) are pushing Muslims out of the mainstream," he added.
He said for 60 years, the Congress and others ruled the country, but did not do much for Muslims and the community continues to live in poverty.
"Muslims are poor, who is responsible? You (Congress) are. Modi is now leading the government to uplift them," the minister said.
According to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, Waqf tribunals will be strengthened, a structured selection process will be maintained, and a tenure will be fixed to ensure efficient dispute resolution.
As per the Bill, while Waqf institutions' mandatory contribution to Waqf boards is reduced from 7 per cent to 5 per cent, Waqf institutions earning over Rs 1 lakh will undergo audits by state-sponsored auditors.
A centralised portal will automate Waqf property management, improving efficiency and transparency.
The Bill proposes that practising Muslims (for at least five years) can dedicate their property to the Waqf, restoring pre-2013 rules.
It stipulates that women must receive their inheritance before the Waqf declaration, with special provisions for widows, divorced women and orphans.
The Bill proposes that an officer above the rank of collector investigate government properties claimed as Waqf.
It also proposes that non-Muslim members be included in the central and state Waqf boards for inclusivity.
