Hijab row: Peace meeting held in Karnataka’s Udupi before schools, colleges reopen on Feb 14

A peace meeting was held in Karnataka's Udupi ahead of the reopening of schools and colleges on February 14.

With the hijab controversy still raging, local administration in Karnataka’s Udupi, along with political parties, and religious leaders on Sunday agreed to uphold law and order.

Schools in Karnataka are set to reopen on Monday, and a meeting between the local administration and leaders was held on Sunday evening to ensure communal harmony.

Pradeep Kurdekar, Tehsildar of Udupi, Raghupati Bhat, local MLA, and ST Siddalingappa, Additional Superintendent of Police, presided over the meeting. Route/flag marches were also carried out in some towns in the Udupi district to maintain law and order.

The meeting was a success, with all political parties and religious leaders agreeing to follow the administration's guidelines.

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Raghupathi Bhat, a BJP MLA from Udupi, stated that wherever uniforms are mandated in schools and colleges, they must be followed.

"We held a taluka meeting in Udupi, and it was decided to maintain communal harmony in Udupi as before. There were all of the political party leaders and community leaders present. It was decided to wear uniforms wherever they are required, but in schools and colleges where uniforms are not required, they can wear what they were previously wearing. Unless the court orders otherwise. Wherever there is a uniform code, it will be followed," Bhat said.