As many as 23 girl students of the Uppinangady Government First Grade College in Karnataka were suspended for staging a protest demanding the permission to wear Hijab inside classrooms last week.

The BJP MLA from Puttur Senjeeva Matandoor, who is also the chairman of the college development committee (CDC), was quoted by PTI as saying, “The students staged a demonstration so they were suspended on Monday.”

The girls had come to the college in Puttur Taluk of Dakshina Kannada district wearing Hijab in protest and demanded permission to wear the headscarf, according to reports.

The decision to suspend all those who were involved was taken during the CDC meet on Monday.

It may be noted that the panel had earlier suspended seven girl students for wearing Hijab in college premises.

Despite the Karnataka High Court’s order in March this year, the girls have insisted on wearing the Hijab. The HC had ruled that it was not an essential religious practice and everyone should abide by the uniform dress code of educational institutions.

The court had also upheld the state government’s order which banned any clothing that could disturb the peace and public order inside educational institutions.

The judgement came after a major uproar on the issue as a few girl students from a government pre-university college in the Udupi district approached the High Court after they were banned from attending classes in Hijab as some Hindu students started coming to college wearing saffron stoles in protest.

Schools and colleges in Karnataka were shut for a week in February to bring the situation under control.