Karnataka hijab row: Student ’replaces’ tricolour with saffron flag in Shimoga

Mangalore Today News Network

Shimoga, Feb 08, 2022: Amid the raging controversy over the Karnataka hijab ban, a video has now surfaced that shows a boy at a college in Shimoga climbing up a pole and hoisting a saffron flag.

 

The student allegedly replaced the national flag with the saffron flag. The video goes on to show students cheering below as the flag is hoisted. A majority of the students who had gathered there were waving saffron flags or stoles.

Section 144 has been imposed in Shimoga after incidents of stone-pelting were reported on Tuesday morning.

Reacting to the incident, Karnataka Congress President DK Shivakumar said: "The situation in some Karnataka educational institutions has gone so out of hand that in one case the National flag was replaced by a saffron flag. I think the affected institutions should be closed for a week to restore law and order. Teaching can continue online."

With the Karnataka High Court hearing the case over the hijab controversy, and the faceoff between students and the government over wearing hijab, the protests have intensified further.

The controversy gave rise to different groups sporting their religious attires. On Tuesday, a protest erupted between students wearing saffron shawls and Hijab outside a college in Karnataka ahead of the high court hearing.

Protests in Bagalkot turned violent after stones were pelted and the police had to resort to lathi-charge.

Courtesy:India Today