Udupi: The Government Women’s PU College in Udupi has declared holiday for the students till January 27, after six students from various streams in the college tested positive for Covid-19.

This also comes in the backdrop of six female students of the college were barred from entering the classrooms wearing head scarf. These students had staged a protest on Thursday. The issue has also grabbed the attention of actor Swara Bhaskar, who has urged the deputy commissioner by tweeting that the bureaucrat should know that Indian Constitution respects religious identity.

“Gentle reminder that the fundamental rights in our Constitution include the right to practice one’s religion.. come on and do your job! Uphold Constitutional values!” said the tweet.

The NSUI (National Students Union of India), state unit, visited the college on Friday. However, as the college was closed, they submitted a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner Kurma Rao demanding justice for the six girls. In the meantime, Hindu Jagarana Vedike (HJV), Udupi district unit, has stated that if the government permits wearing of hijab in classrooms, students belonging to Hindu religion will wear saffron shawls.

Prakash Kukkehalli of HJV said, “A few students are being provoked to wear head scarf inside the classrooms. They are trying to project the issue as an international problem. We have taken a serious note of the same. If educational institutions and the government allow wearing head scarf, we will unite all the Hindu students of the district and they will wear saffron shawls along with uniforms.”

The Udupi Muslim Okkuta has condemned the statement of the Primary and Secondary Education Minister B C Nagesh against the head scarf issue and has urged him not to lace the issue with political thoughts. Instead, as a representative of the government, he should analyse and decide, they stated.