After, Karnataka, Andhra college denies entry to students wearing hijab

A Muslim girl student studying at Andhra Loyola college in Vijayawada alleged that she was not allowed inside the college while wearing a burqa. Pathan Sadiqunnisa claimed that the college principal restricted her from entering the college in Muslim attire. She said, “we have been wearing hijabs from the beginning and our ID cards were also photographed with traditional hijab wear. Now the correspondent says that we can't come to college wearing it. ”However, the Muslim elders after knowing the incident have approached Loyola College. On the other hand, the parents of the students also reached there and expressed their concern. Upon receiving the information, the police also reached there and talked to the students and the college management. The parents of students are questioning why they are stopping the students now. 

Controversy over students banned from wearing hijabs in Karnataka classrooms erupted in December after six students in Udupi district challenged the restriction. Over the next few weeks, protests spilled over into neighbouring districts and exploded after right-wing Hindu groups jumped in brandishing saffron scarves and flags, leading to tense stand-offs and disturbing scenes of young girls being heckled and turned away from educational institutions. The Karnataka High Court is presently hearing a petition from the Udupi students, whose lawyers yesterday pointed out "hundreds of religious symbols - dupattas, bangles, turbans, crosses and bindis" were worn without question every day, but the hijab was targeted on religious grounds. The Karnataka government temporarily closed schools and colleges last week. They re-opened this week to scenes of students and teachers being forced to remove hijabs and burqas (the latter in public) in line with a contentious interim court order that bans the wearing of all religious symbols. It was not clear if indeed symbols of all religions were not allowed.