Denying entry to Muslims students in hijab violates their fundamental rights guaranteed in the Constitution, hence this discrimination must stop, demanded city-based activists, while referring to the controversy that has erupted in Karnataka. Schools and colleges in Udupi and other parts of Karnataka have barred Muslim students wearing hijab, a head covering, from the campus. This has been condemned by religious scholars and practising Muslims across India. The Karnataka High Court has also heard four petitions so far against the educational institutions’ action.

“Singling out hijab for criticism is unfair and discriminatory and we want this discrimination against Muslim girls in hijab to stop. We are seeing disturbing reports about teenage girls being denied entry into classrooms by a few educational institutes in Udupi and other places in Karnataka. The Constitution grants Right to Religious Freedom as well as Right to Education, and the girls cannot be denied education because they choose to wear hijab. While the college authorities are free to decide their own rules, these cannot violate the fundamental rights. The parents would not permit the girls to go to college without hijab and the authorities would deny them entry because of hijab. In either case, girls’ education is bound to suffer. They are resorting to hate and divisive politics by instigating students to wear saffron scarves to counter the girls in hijab,” said a statement from Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan in Mumbai.