Home Minister defends decision to keep hijab girls out of college, asks cops to keep an eye on religious groups

coastaldigest.com news network

February 3, 2022

Bengaluru, Feb 3: Strongly defending the decision of two colleges in Udupi district to be intolerant towards the Muslim girls with headscarves, Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra today said that children should neither wear the hijab nor saffron shawls when they go to educational institutions.

He also he directed the police to “watch” religious outfits in the coastal region where confrontation is brewing.

“Children don't go to schools to practice their religion. They should go to school thinking they're children of Bharat Mata. Inside a school compound, there should not be hijab or saffron shawls,” Jnanendra told reporters.

He was reacting to more than 100 Hindu students wearing saffron shawls at a government pre-university college in Kundapur to counter Muslim girls who sported headscarves.

“There are religious organisations that seem to have different ideas when it comes to India’s unity. So, I have asked the police to watch them,” Jnanendra said.

For a month now, eight Muslim girls have been protesting for their "right" to attend class wearing headscarves at a government women’s pre-university college in Udupi. Today dozens girl students of Kundapura junior college in Udupi district were barred from entering the campus for wearing hijab.

“The education minister has already said that there is a prescribed uniform that students should stick to. Students of all religions should sit together and study with the feeling that they’re children of the same mother. There are churches, mosques and temples where religious activities can be followed. But, in a school where an academic atmosphere is needed our children should have the culture of promoting India's unity,” Jnanendra argued.

Comments

Honorable minister what about the Saradars turbo.
Is there any guts to object common sewak tell

He forgot India is Democrat Nation he also forgot that was elected by the people to fulfill peoples demand as per our Constitution.
It's not a Kesari Desh to follow nagpur policy.
Shortly he will lose his chair.

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No cases yet, but vigilance high: Karnataka braces for Nipah threat

News Network

February 3,2026

Bengaluru: Following reports of fresh Nipah virus (NiV) cases in West Bengal and heightened vigilance across parts of Southeast Asia, the Karnataka Health Department has placed the state on high alert and activated emergency preparedness protocols.

Health officials said enhanced surveillance measures have been initiated after two healthcare workers in Barasat, West Bengal, tested positive for the virus earlier this month. While no cases have been reported in Karnataka so far, authorities said the state’s past exposure to Nipah outbreaks and high inter-state mobility warranted preventive action.

Officials have directed district health teams to intensify monitoring, particularly at hospitals and points of entry, and to ensure early detection and isolation of suspected cases.

High Mortality Virus with Multiple Transmission Routes

Nipah virus is a zoonotic disease that can spread from animals to humans and has a reported fatality rate ranging between 60 and 75 per cent. Fruit bats, also known as flying foxes, are the natural reservoirs of the virus and can transmit it by contaminating food sources with saliva or urine.

Known modes of transmission include:

•   Contaminated food: Consumption of fruits partially eaten by bats or raw date-palm sap
•   Animal contact: Exposure to infected pigs or other animals
•   Human-to-human transmission: Close contact with body fluids of infected persons, particularly in healthcare settings

Symptoms and Disease Progression

The incubation period typically ranges from 4 to 14 days, though delayed onset has also been reported. Early symptoms often resemble common viral infections, making prompt clinical suspicion critical.

•   Initial symptoms: Fever, headache, body aches, fatigue, sore throat
•   Progressive symptoms: Drowsiness, disorientation, altered mental state
•   Severe stage: Seizures, neck stiffness and acute encephalitis, which can rapidly progress to coma

Public Health Advisory

The Health Department has issued precautionary guidelines urging the public to adopt risk-avoidance practices to prevent any local spillover.

Do’s
•   Wash fruits thoroughly before consumption
•   Drink boiled and cooled water
•   Use protective equipment while handling livestock
•   Maintain strict hand hygiene

Don’ts
•   Avoid fruits found on the ground or showing bite marks
•   Do not consume beverages made from raw tree sap, including toddy
•   Avoid areas with dense bat populations
•   Do not handle sick or dead animals

Preparedness Measures

Officials confirmed that isolation wards are being readied in major government hospitals and that medical staff are being sensitised to identify early warning signs.

“There is no cause for panic, but there is a need for heightened vigilance,” a senior health official said, adding that there is currently no approved vaccine or specific antiviral treatment for Nipah, and care remains largely supportive.

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