With the hijab issue in Karnataka is not ready to die anytime soon, a guest lecturer working in Karnataka's Jain PU college (Tumkuru) has resigned from her job.
The restrictions over wearing hijab to educational institutions had triggered a massive row over the last few weeks.
The students and faculty in the state have been instructed not to wear any religious symbols inside the campus following an interim order last week by Karnataka High Court
Chandini Naz, an English lecturer at Jain PU College said "For the last three years, I am a guest lecturer at Jain PU college. In these three years, I have had no trouble at all and working comfortably. But yesterday morning our principal sir called us and told us that we shouldn't wear the Hijab or represent any religious symbols and that they had orders."
"So for the last three years I have been wearing the Hijab and conducting classes. This (restriction) was against my self respect so I have resigned on my own. I am not working without a Hijab in that college," she added in a recorded video message that has gone viral on social media.
In her resignation letter, she had stated: "I condemn your undemocratic act."
Meanwhile, around 60 final year students of the government G Shankar memorial women's first-grade degree college in Udupi on Thursday returned home after they were told to take off their hijabs by college authorities.
Though the Muslim girl students argued with the authorities saying the chief minister has clarified that uniforms are not mandatory in degree colleges, the authorities said it is the college development committee that fixed the rules.
The girls, who insisted that they will not attend classes without the headscarves, said hijab and education are important to them.
They also wanted the college committee to give in writing if the state government has decided to introduce dress code in degree colleges.
A girl student who talked to reporters said the CM has made clear that hijab rule is not enforced in degree colleges. "When we asked about it, they say only college committee's decision applies here," she said.
She said hijab is part of their lives and they have been wearing it all along to classes. "It cannot be removed when someone suddenly asks you to do it. We have asked the college to hold online classes for us," the student said.
The students said they will not attend physical classes till the High Court takes a decision on the issue. Classes are being conducted smoothly in the college. Police force has been deployed in the college premises to check any untoward incidents.
(With Inputs From PTI)