Members of Hindutva outfits led by Sri Rama Sene chief Pramod Mutalik staged a protest in Hubballi on Thursday condemning the State government’s decision to lift the ban on wearing hijab in educational institutions.

Holding  a demonstration in front of Sangolli Rayanna statue in Hubballi, the protestors condemned in strong terms the State government’s decision to withdraw the ban order on wearing hijab in educational institutions and accused the Congress-led State government of indulging in Muslim appeasement.

The protestors held morphed photographs of the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister wearing hijab and subsequently, torched them to register their protest. The protestors also tore apart the copies of the government notification on withdrawal of the ban on hijab.

Speaking to presspersons, Mr. Mutalik said that the issue of allowing hijab in educational institutions is still being heard in the court of law and no final decision has been taken yet.

Moreover, the High Court of Karnataka has said that hijab is not part of any religious practice. Such being the case, the Congress government withdrawing the 2022 order and replacing it with a fresh order allowing students to wear ‘limited’ traditional and faith-based symbols along with prescribed uniforms in schools and colleges will amount to contempt of court, he said.