AGENCIES
A government college in Karnataka’s Udupi has allegedly prevented some students from entering the classroom wearing hijab, according to local media.
Denied entry into class for wearing hijab, college girls approached District Collector. “Those of us who were wearing hijabs were prevented from entering the classroom,” said a student of the college.
Later, a delegation including some students of the college along with some members of the Islamic Organization of India approached District Collector Kurma Rao regarding the incident.
Five girls who were stopped from entering the classroom were part of the delegation. The collector said he spoke to the principal of the college regarding the issue.
“We were told to bring our parents to college but when they arrived, school authorities made them wait for some three to four hours,” said a student.
“Everything was fine before we started wearing the hijab but now we are being discriminated in this manner,” said another student.
Principal Gowda said the students can wear hijabs in the school premises but not inside the classrooms. He said the rule is being followed to ensure uniformity in classrooms. He added that said he would conduct a parent-teacher meeting on the issue.
On Friday, Gowda had told reporters: “Only six of some 60 Muslim girls (students) are insisting on wearing the hijab. But the college doesn’t have a rule permitting that kind of religious dress.”
Udupi deputy commissioner Kurma Rao said he had instructed the deputy director of the pre-university department to conduct an inquiry and file a report.
The Campus Front, the student wing of the Popular Front of India — a Muslim organisation — on Saturday threatened a protest at the college. Policemen have been posted on the campus.
The controversy comes at a time BJP-ruled Karnataka has witnessed repeated attacks on churches and Christian prayer halls amid the enactment of a contentious law against “fraudulent” conversions that prescribes up to 10 years in prison.