One of the petitioners challenging in Karnataka high court, the ban on the hijab across educational institutions, has alleged that authorities at Udupi Girls Pre-University College did not allow her and two others to appear for the final exams and refused to evaluate their practical records till they removed their headscarves before appearing in class.
In a 115-second video clip which went viral on social media, the student, who is pursuing science in the institute, claimed that her teacher agreed to evaluate their work only if they attended classes without the headscarf.
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HT could not independently verify the authenticity of the clip.
“Today we had our final lab exams, practical exams and we went to college. I, and my other two friends… they are from the science (stream) and we went to college. We did not have classes for two months but we tried to see some videos, practice and we learned. When I went to my teacher and said please correct my record book… as we did not have permission to go to college because of this (Karnataka high court) order… she said I cannot correct your record right now. She said, ‘if you remove your hijab and come to the class, I will give you the marks’.”
It felt as though the teacher was offering a “bribe” in the name of marks, she added.
The Karnataka high court, in an interim order on February 10, had directed students to not wear religious attire to classes till the end of the hearing. While the hearing of arguments concluded on Friday, the court is yet to announce its verdict in the case.
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The student also alleged that she was threatened with police action by college principal Rudre Gowda when she approached him with the request to appear for the exam.
“We were expecting that we would be allowed inside the class and write the exam since it was the final exam. But then, they said to speak with the principal. We went to the principal and requested and begged him so much… we went with so much hope that he would allow (us to sit for the exam) but he did not… he said that if you stand here for more than five minutes, I am going to file a complaint against you,” the student is heard saying in the video.
“How can he do that… did we do any crime or anything? We just asked for our right… to write the exam… We didn’t even ask him to do the classes again… we came back… it was so disheartening for us,” she added.
HT tried to reach out to Gowda for a comment but could not get one immediately.
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On December 28, the girls were denied entry into the college for wearing the headscarf. They approached the high court on January 29, but a row had already broken out across the southern state and several other parts of the country.
More institutions across the state announced a ban on the hijab, Hindu groups mobilised groups of men wearing saffron shawls to oppose the entry of women in hijab in schools and colleges, isolated clashes broke out in Shivamogga, and the state government issued a controversial order on February 5 that said students will not be allowed to attend classes with Hijab.
As protests for and against the hijab intensified and turned violent in some places, the government declared a holiday for all high schools and colleges in the state for three days, from February 9, and it was subsequently extended up to February 16 for colleges.
Meanwhile, the high court bench, constituted on February 9, heard on a day-to-day basis over the last two weeks a batch of petitions seeking permission to wear the hijab in the institutes.
While the court on February 10 said students should not wear any religious attire to classes till the end of the hearing, on February 23 it clarified the order and said it is applicable to all degree and PU colleges having a dress code.