IDSG Government College in Chikkamagaluru on Friday issued a circular mandating uniforms for college students. The decision comes in response to videos surfacing on the internet depicting students wearing hijabs within the college premises. The circular, issued by the college principal, stated: “BA, BSc, BCom, BBA, BCA, and PG students must wear the college uniform and carry their ID cards while coming today (Friday).”

In February 2022, the administration led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state imposed a ban on students at the school and pre-university levels from wearing hijabs within educational institutions. However, the authority to enforce this rule in private degree colleges was left to the college management.

Several videos surfaced on the internet on Thursday, which showed students and faculty members of IDSG Government College donning hijabs within the campus.

Following this, deputy superintendent of police (DSP) visited the college after certain organizations raised concerns over the photos. The circular is believed to be a consequence of this police action.

During its election campaign, the Congress party pledged to eliminate restrictions on wearing hijabs if elected to power. Madhu Bangarappa, the Karnataka school education minister, recently addressed the hijab matter, stating that changing the government’s policy regarding hijab usage would require a significant amount of time.

On March 15, 2022, a three-judge bench comprising chief justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, justice Krishna S Dixit, and justice JM Khazi delivered a 129-page verdict, ruling that the hijab was not an “essential religious practice.” This paved the way for the ban on hijabs in pre-university colleges in the state. The verdict was prompted by eight Muslim students who were prevented from entering class while wearing hijabs and subsequently approached the court.

On January 1, 2022, the college development council (CDC) issued an order banning the hijab inside campuses, leading to students protesting by sitting outside the college building but within the campus. College authorities consistently maintained that hijabs were never allowed inside classrooms. By February of the same year, as the controversy spread across the state, counter-protests emerged, with some students wearing saffron shawls.

On February 3, a video surfaced depicting the government PU college principal closing the gates on at least 25 hijab-wearing students in Udupi’s Kundapura, which amplified the issue into a broader movement.

Since then, the controversy has taken an unfortunate turn in Karnataka, where right-wing groups have extended their demands to include banning halal meat, restricting azaan prayers on loudspeakers, limiting Muslim participation in temple fairs, and urging the Hindu community to discontinue business interactions with Muslims.