Question Period Note: Dispute over Hijabs in Karnataka State Educational Institutions- 2022- India

Schools across the Indian state of Karnataka introduced directives preventing students who wear hijab from entering classrooms. The decision has sparked protest and tensions across India.

• The Government of Canada is aware of the situation in the Indian state of Karnataka.
• This is an internal matter for India.

In January 2022, a number of Karnataka schools introduced directives preventing students who wear a hijab from entering classrooms. On February 5th, the state government issued an order which denies any exemption to compulsory school uniforms, including the wearing of a hijab. In response, a number of Muslim students began small campus protests which were met by counter-protests by some Hindu students. The protests quickly intensified. Acts of violence against Muslim citizens were widely-publicized.To calm the situation, the state government imposed a closure of all schools on February 9th.

Karnataka's High Court is hearing a number of petitions on the "Hijab Row" question. India's Supreme Court has refrained from comment until the matter is considered by the lower state court. On February 14th the Karnataka High Court issued an interim order banning the wearing of all religious symbols on campus. Protests and debate over the "Hijab Row" have spread throughout India. The issue has drawn international attention including from prominent voices such as Malala Yousafzai, U.S. Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom, Rashad Hussain, who condemned the Karnataka school hijab ban.

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