Home minister of Karnataka, Bengaluru in India said on Thursday that children should not wear hijab at schools as it’s a place where all students should learn together with a feeling of oneness.

“No one should come to school to practice religion,” said Araga Jnanendra.

He was responding to news of Muslim girls being stopped at the entrances of the Bhandarkars’ College of Kundapur in Udupi district of the state on Thursday morning. They were informed they would not be allowed to wear the hijab inside classrooms and were asked to remove it before entering, reported Indian news outlet NDTV.

Videos of them being stopped were widely shared on Twitter on Thursday.

India is currently facing a row over Muslim students wearing hijabs. It started at Kundapur Pre-University College in Udupi district. As Muslim girls students came to class wearing hijabs, Hindu students came wearing saffron shawls as protest against hijab.

According to Gulf News, Hindu Jagaran Vedike leader Jagadish Kukkehalli said that Hindu students were ready to shun saffron shawl only if Muslim girls attended classes without hijab. If Muslim girls continue to wear hijab, Hindu students will attend classes in saffron shawls, he added.

The hijab row is spreading to more colleges, causing concern with in the education department as well as parents and students.

Some users shared a video of the girls in hijab on Tuesday who refused to kowtow to demands they return to school without their hijab.

As general elections for 2023 are approaching fast, the BJP government is dealing with this issue cautiously. A high-level committee has been formed to decide whether hijab should be allowed inside classrooms or not. Till a report is submitted and the verdict is announced, the government has asked Muslim girls to attend school in uniform without hijab.

“Schools are the place where children belonging to all religions should learn together and imbibe a feeling that we are not different, and all are children of Bharat Mata," said Jnanendra while speaking to reporters.

He added that churches, mosques and temples are places where people are free to practice their religion however, at schools there should be an academic atmosphere for children to develop a sense of national unity and integrity.

“There are religious organisations who think otherwise, I have asked police to keep a watch on them. Those who cause hindrance or undermine this country's unity, they have to be dealt with,” he said.

Speaking about the hijab vs. saffron shawl issue, the home minister said that “Everyone should come there to learn as the children of Bharat Mata. No one should wear either hijab or saffron shawl in the school premises, they should mandatorily follow the rules set by school management committees.”

Indian journalist Prajwal Manipal tweeted an update on the issue on Friday. "Students wearing saffron shawls in govt college, Kundapura were denied entry by police. College authorities saying both hijab and saffron shawl won't be allowed," he said.

Social media users spoke up against colleges denying entry to students in hijab.

However, some felt strongly against the hijab and said India was secular and all religious issues should be kept at bay.

The fiercely outspoken journalist Rana Ayyub condemned the school administration for disallowing the girls to enter their institute.