Authorities closed colleges in Karnataka in India's south last
week after a new uniform policy barred students from wearing
headscarves in classrooms, leading to protests by Muslim
students and counter protests by Hindu students.
Muslims have criticised the ban as another way of marginalising
a community that accounts for about 13% of Hindu-majority
India's 1.35 billion people.
In Uttar Pradesh, in the country's north and bordering New
Delhi, a group of more than two dozen young men reached the
Dharma Samaj College in Aligarh district on Monday and handed a
memorandum to its officials seeking a complete ban on the hijab
within its compound.
They had saffron shawls around their necks - typically worn by
Hindus - said the college's chief proctor, Mukesh Bharadwaj,
adding he did not recognise the people. Currently, religious
garb is not allowed in classrooms, but can be worn elsewhere on
campus.
"Two years ago the same issue was raised and it has been raised
again. We do not allow any type of religious uniform and we have
a civil code of uniform for everyone," Bharadwaj told Reuters by
phone on Tuesday.
"There is a changing room for girls and they can change their
dress there before attending class," he said. "We are
investigating the matter."
Uttar Pradesh, estimated to have as many people as Brazil, is
ruled by a Hindu monk from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party
and is in the midst of a multi-phase election that ends next
month. Hindu-Muslim disputes are often used for political gains
in the state.
The hijab issue has already reached court in Karnataka. Hearings
will resume on Tuesday on whether the hijab should be allowed in
class.
(Writing by Krishna N. Das)
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