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Hijab row: Karnataka govt extends holiday for colleges till Feb 16

News Network
February 11, 2022

Bengaluru, Feb 11: In the wake of the hijab controversy, Karnataka government extended holiday for colleges till Feb 16. The Higher Education Department, All Colleges and Technical Education Departments have given leave continue till February 16, Minister of Higher Education Dr. C.N. Ashwath Narayan said.

In a press release on Friday, he said the department applies to all universities, government, aided and unaided first-class colleges, engineering and diploma colleges.Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Thursday All high schools will reopen in Karnataka from Monday Feb 14. In the first phase, up to 10th standard schools will be started. Today Higher Education Minister Dr. C.N. Ashwath Narayan announced holiday for colleges till Feb 16.

High court postponed hearing on Monday, religious marks cannot be used until the next order. Karnataka High Court interim order challenged in Supreme Court. An appeal has been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the direction of the Karnataka High Court’s 10 February 10 interim order to restrain students from wearing hijab or any religious attire till the matter is pending with the high court.

The plea filed by a student has sought a stay on the direction of the high court, which is hearing the hijab issue, as well as the proceedings going on before the three-judge bench. Filing the appeal, Dr J Halli Federation of Masjid Madaaris and Wakf Institutions, contended that the Karnataka High Court on Thursday has sought to curtail the fundamental right of Muslim student-women by not allowing them to wear the Hijab and pursue their education. 

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News Network
January 23,2026

Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot read only three lines from the 122-paragraph address prepared by the Congress-led state government while addressing the joint session of the Legislature on Thursday, effectively bypassing large sections critical of the BJP-led Union government.

The omitted portions of the customary Governor’s address outlined what the state government described as a “suppressive situation in economic and policy matters” under India’s federal framework. The speech also sharply criticised the Centre’s move to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, commonly referred to as the VB-GRAM (G) Act.

Governor Gehlot had earlier conveyed his objection to several paragraphs that were explicitly critical of the Union government. On Thursday, he confined himself to the opening lines — “I extend a warm welcome to all of you to the joint session of the State legislature. I am extremely pleased to address this august House” — before jumping directly to the concluding sentence of the final paragraph.

He ended the address by reading the last line of paragraph 122: “Overall, my government is firmly committed to doubling the pace of the State’s economic, social and physical development. Jai Hind — Jai Karnataka.”

According to the prepared speech, the Karnataka government demanded the scrapping of the VB-GRAM (G) Act, describing it as “contractor-centric” and detrimental to rural livelihoods, and called for the full restoration of MGNREGA. The state government argued that the new law undermines decentralisation, weakens labour protections, and centralises decision-making in violation of constitutional norms.

Key points from the unread sections of the speech:

•    Karnataka facing a “suppressive” economic and policy environment within the federal system

•    Repeal of MGNREGA described as a blow to rural livelihoods

•    VB-GRAM (G) Act accused of protecting corporate and contractor interests

•    New law alleged to weaken decentralised governance

•    Decision-making said to be imposed by the Centre without consulting states

•    Rights of Adivasis, women, backward classes and agrarian communities curtailed

•    Labourers allegedly placed under contractor control

•    States facing mounting fiscal stress due to central policies

•    VB-GRAM (G) Act accused of enabling large-scale corruption

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