K'taka BJP MLA says he gets threatening calls, PUCs shut till Feb 15

Bengaluru, Feb 12 (IANS) Amid the hijab row in Karnataka, Udupi BJP MLA Raghupathi Bhat has said that he has got threatening calls.

"The call has been made from the internet in Hyderabad. The Superintendent of Police has suggested security. I am safe among my people. This is enough and I don't want a gunman," Raghupathi Bhat has said. "I am not a man to be bogged down by these threats," he added.

"Pakistan TV and Al-Jazeera TV are portraying that hijab is banned in Udupi district. After seeing that many are making threatening calls. I have not spoken against any religion during the hijab row. I have spoken for discipline in colleges. All Muslim local leaders have said my stand is correct on the issue."

MLA Raghupathi Bhat is the President of School Development and Management Committee (SDMC) of Udupi Girl's Pre-University College from where hijab row started. He has been vehemently opposing the wearing of hijab in the classes and has been maintaining that there is an international conspiracy behind the hijab crisis.

Bhat had also earlier asked Muslim students not to come to campus if they are wearing hijab and it would spoil academic activity of 1,000 plus students in the college. He has maintained that he is continuously getting threatening calls.

Amid an uneasy calm prevailing in Karnataka in the backdrop of the hijab row, the government has announced holidays for Pre-University College students till February 15.

Taking no chances with the volatile situation due to the hijab crisis, the Karnataka government on Saturday declared holidays for the Pre-University Colleges (11 and 12 class). The Department of Primary and Secondary Education has issued a circular saying that the decision has been made to maintain law and order in the state. The order states that it applies to all government, aided, unaided Pre-University Colleges in the state.

Meanwhile, Mysuru Police Commissioner Chandra Gupta has continued prohibitory orders in the city banning protests, rallies in the backdrop of reopening of 9 and 10th classes from Monday onwards. Mandya and Tumakuru police have warned that the police would keep a hawk eye on the posts on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms. The police have warned that miscreants who give provocative statements, call for protests, will be booked under Goonda Act.

Meanwhile, tension prevailed in the Ankatadka School premises located in Kadaba taluk of Dakshina Kannada district as a video of students performing namaz in classroom went viral on social media. Block Education Officer (BEO) has conveyed the School Development and Management Committee (SDMC), parents and students meeting on Saturday. However, parents and students have agreed to not perform namaz in classrooms in the meeting henceforth.

BJP State President Nalin Kumar stated on Saturday that tacit understanding of Congress and Social Democratic Party (SDPI) has resulted in the hijab crisis in the state. There is international conspiracy behind all this and the Congress party has approached the court. Hijab row is the hidden agenda of the Congress, he added.