Students, parents protest over wearing hijab at Urdu High School near Udupi

Udupi: Few of the students at Urdu High School in Kaup Taluk of Udupi district arrived wearing shawls covering their heads. As the school authorities denied permission, angry parents argued with the authorities over wearing hijab.

“Our children have always been wearing hijab. But now the school authorities have banned wearing hijab. We will not send their wards to school without hijab,” said one of the parents.

The school is over 163-year-old and the majority of the students are from the Muslim community.

“If hijab is not allowed they should have made it clear during admission, we would not have sent our children to this school,” a parent added.

The parents alleged that the school administration did not have any discussions with the parents on the issue.

The parents wanted permission for using the shawl of the uniform as hijab.

Some of the parents said that they would not send their children to school if they are not allowed to wear hijab.

There was confusion as the Class 10 students had to appear for the preparatory exam.

Tahsildar Srinivas Murthy and Deputy Director of Public Instructions arrived at the school to resolve the issue. Sources said that the students were allowed to write the preparatory exam in a separate room.