College panelist brands petitioner-Muslim girls in Karnataka as members of terror outfit

PTI, Mar 16, 2022, 8:39 PM IST

Senior BJP leader and vice-president of Udupi Government Pre-University College Development Committee Yashpal Suvarna has called the girls who approached the Karnataka High Court demanding hijab-wearing on the college campus as anti-nationals who were members of a terrorist organisation.

The court on Tuesday dismissed the petition filed by the girls seeking permission to wear hijab (scarf) along with their uniform on campus.

Rejecting their contention that hijab was an essential religious practice, the court upheld the government circular banning hijab and saffron scarves, and the need for a uniform.

”The girls have proved once again that they are not students but members of a terrorist organisation. By giving statement against the High Court verdict they are disregarding the learned judges. Their media statement amounts to contempt of court,” Suvarna, the national general secretary of the BJP OBC Morcha, told reporters here.

”What should we expect from them for the country when these students call the verdict given by learned judges as politically motivated and against the law? They have only proved that they are anti-nationals,” Suvarna said.

Stating that the girls have decided to move the Apex Court, he said the High Court order would be restricted to the State but the order given by the Supreme Court would be applicable to everyone throughout the country.

”We are confident that the Supreme Court will deliver a verdict that will be good for the entire country,” the BJP leader said.

Alleging that the girls were showing disregard for the Constitution, Suvarna suspected the involvement of some organisations which instigate them to give such statements.

With the girls insisting on hijab, Hindu students started coming to the college wearing saffron scarves.

The issue then spread to other parts of Karnataka leading to communal tension in the educational institutions. The government was forced to announce holiday for a week from February 10 to February 16.