Bengaluru, March 18 : Days after Karnataka High Court’s verdict against hijab wearing during teaching hours in classroom, a Muslim boy student resorted to violating the Court order by wearing Taqiyah cap (skull cap) while entering the school premises. On Thursday, a teacher in one of the Urdu Schools in Raichur, smacked the head of the boy student wearing the skull cap, asking him to remove it before entering the classroom. A video of the incident has gone viral on social media where the school teacher is seen trying to stop the Muslim boy wearing a religious skull cap from entering the classroom. Despite the Court order, several Muslim girl students continued to wear hijab in Raichur school. They were asked to remove the hijab before entering the class. On March 15, the Court pronounced its verdict in the hijab case stating that hijab is not an essential practice of the Islamic faith and dismissed all the petitions filed by Muslim girl students seeking permission to wear hijab during class hours. Following the Court verdict, the miffed Muslim girl students have moved the Supreme Court against the form dress code rules, but the apex court refused urgent listing of appeal due to the Holi vacation. The Muslim groups called for a peaceful state-wide ‘bandh’ in Karnataka and staged protests against the high court order on hijab. Members of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind also supported the bandh call. The hijab controversy created a storm at international circle after eight Muslim girl students were denied entry into classes in a government pre- versity college in Udupi for wearing hijab. Despite the college authorities asking them to follow the dress code, the adamant Muslim girl students resorted to protests. When the college did not bow down to their pressure, they filed a petition in Karnataka High Court seeking permission to attend classes with hijab. They stated that wearing the hijab was their ‘fundamental right’ granted under Articles 14 and 25 of the Indian Constitution and ‘integral practice of Islam’. The issue spiralled into a major controversy as Hindu students started to arrive at educational institutes, wearing saffron scarves around their necks, in protest against Muslim girl students continuing to wear hijab to the college. Tensions also prevailed at some educational institutions in Udupi, Shivamogga, Bagalkote, and other parts as incidents of stone-pelting and violence were reported from various parts of the state. The Muslim girl students students had begun to wear hijab to schools and colleges after they had met the Campus Front of India (CFI), the student branch of the Islamist organization Popular Front of India (PFI) in October 2021. The students confessed that they had spoken with the CFI. Meanwhile, the Karnataka government is considering offering a second chance to students who have missed their exams during the hijab row. The government is likely to extend help only to the students who could not appear for exams, however, those who boycotted the exams will not be allowed. BDN SHK2105