Students wearing saffron scarves a reaction to women sporting hijab: Karnataka education minister
Bengaluru, Jan 8: Karnataka Primary and Secondary Education Minister B C Nagesh on Saturday appeared to defend the action of some students, who recently wore saffron scarves in a college in Chikkamagaluru district to protest against sporting of hijab by a few Muslim women inside the classroom, terming it as a reaction.
The management of Balagadi Government Degree College in Koppa taluk of Chikkamagaluru district had initially banned wearing both saffron scarves and hijab but later allowed it till January 10 when the "betterment committee" is slated to take a call on the issue.
Wondering what prompted the Muslim women to sport hijab inside the classroom, Nagesh said in a video message, "Now as a reaction, some of the students are putting orange (saffron) shawls on them. It's their reaction. As you know, whenever there is an action there will be a reaction."
He also charged that some organisations want to create "differences" and take advantage.
In a government pre-university college in the coastal town of Udupi, six Muslim girls were barred from attending the classes since January 1 for wearing hijab as the dress was against prescribed norms of the college.
The Campus Front of India and Girls Islamic Organisation of India had lodged a complaint with the Karnataka State Minorities Commission chairman Abdul Azeem to look into the matter.
The matter was resolved after four days in the college betterment committee meeting where it was decided that no one would be allowed to attend classes with hijab.
About the Udupi incident, Nagesh wondered, "The students of a pre-university college in Udupi decided to use scarves (hijab) and not to follow the discipline of the college. I don't know what made them to do like that."
Talking to PTI, KSMC chairman Abdul Azeem said the matter in Udupi has been resolved as it was decided in the college betterment committee that the girls can enter college wearing scarves but they cannot attend the class putting them on.
He said the Campus Front of India had given a memorandum to him asking his intervention to allow the women in Udupi to attend classes with headscarves.
After receiving a complaint from Udupi students, he contacted the Wakf officer of Udupi, the district minority welfare officer, deputy director of the PU Board as well as the superintendent of police of Udupi.
According to him, there was an arrangement since 1985 that hijab will not be allowed inside the classroom. "If they want to come with hijab, they can come with hijab to the college premises but not inside the classrooms," Azeem clarified.
He added that he has also written to minister Nagesh urging him to examine the issue "constitutionally".
The Campus Front of India state committee member Mohammed Zuber K in his complaint to the KSMC chairman said the students have been denied entry into the class for wearing hijab "which is a symbol of our modesty, identity and an important part of our religious observance".
He also said the constitutional rights of the women to advocate practice and propagate their faith was violated.
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TN Guv Ravi in fresh trouble, his 'Jai Shri Ram' chant in college stokes controversy
Chennai, Apr 13 (PTI): Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi's reported remarks asking students of a college to chant "Jai Shri Ram" have trigered a controversy with SPCSS-TN, a body of educationists, alleging he violated his oath of office and secular principles and urged President Droupadi Murmu to remove him from his post.
The State Platform for Common School System-Tamil Nadu (SPCSS-TN), said Ravi failed to abide by the Constitution, respect its ideals and institutions.
"Ravi should be removed from the office of Governor of Tamil Nadu forthwith for deliberately violating Article 159 (oath by governor) of the Constitution of India," SPCSS-TN General Secretary, PB Prince Gajendra Babu, said in a statement.
Ravi was invited by a government-aided college in Madurai as chief guest to distribute prizes to the winners in a literary contest.
Delivering his address on April 12, he had asked the students to chant the name of a God of particular religion (Jai Shri Ram) thrice.
According to the Constitution, India is a secular country, education is a secular activity and it shall be the fundamental duty of every citizen to abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and institutions, the national flag and the national anthem and also to develop scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform.
However, Ravi failed to preserve, defend and protect the Constitution by chanting the name of the God of a particular religion and asking the students to repeat the same thrice, Gajendra Babu alleged.
Instead of obeying the Governor, had the students protested against him for violating his oath, unnecessary embarrassment would have been caused to the management and staff of the college.The students in order to "protect the name of the college," passively submitted themselves to the will of the Governor.
Gajendra Babu alleged: "Ravi is illiterate as far as his knowledge of the curriculum and syllabus followed in schools and colleges in Tamil Nadu. Due to his ignorance and arrogance, he continues to propagate wrong ideas that in effect aim to disturb peace and instigate a group of people against another."
The SPCSS-TN said it hence appeals to President Murmu to remove Ravi from the office of Governor of Tamil Nadu.
Congress MP (Tiruvallur) Sasikanth Senthil said in a post on 'X': "After being slammed by the Supreme Court and blocked by the State Government, he's now resorting to stunts like making students chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ just to irritate the system. Clearly frustrated, he’s sending a message that “Even if the courts rule against me, I will find other ways to push my agenda." It’s a dangerous mix of arrogance and defiance that undermines democratic institutions and the principles of the Constitution!
On April 8, 2025, the Supreme Court's bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan said the 10 Bills withheld by Governor Ravi were deemed to have been given assent.
The court came down heavily on Governor Ravi and said him reserving 10 Bills for the consideration of the President was against constitutional provisions.
It was considered a major victory for the DMK government and a legal setback for Governor Ravi.
On April 12, Tamil Nadu government duly notified the 10 Acts in the state gazette.
SPCSS-TN is a body of educationists and educational activists following socialist principles.
Controversy does not seem to leave Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi. At a recent event at Thiagarajar Engineering College in Madurai, where he was invited as the chief guest, he allegedly asked students to chant 'Jai Shri Ram', while distributing prizes to the winners in a literary… pic.twitter.com/yvDIM5WylN
— The Siasat Daily (@TheSiasatDaily) April 13, 2025
