Mangalore college students threaten stir if hijab ban is not lifted in two days

The Mangalore University Students Coordination Committee has threatened to take out a massive protest rally if the Mangalore University and its constituent institute, University College, do not reverse their decision of barring women students from wearing hijab (headscarves) to college, within two days.

“If agitating students who have been demanding justice fail to get justice, then we will hold a massive protest rally by uniting students from across the district,” committee chairperson Riyaz and other students told Deccan Herald.

Students of University College said they continued wearing hijab inside the classrooms even after the Karnataka High Court upheld the state government’s ban on hijab in educational institutions, but on May 16, the college principal asked all students to attend classes wearing uniforms and without hijab.

One of the students of the college claimed that the high court’s order on hijab did not apply to university colleges, alleging that the ban was imposed on the pressure of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) students.

“The syndicate of the Mangalore University took a decision on banning headscarves inside the classrooms following a representation made by the ABVP students. There was no issue with hijab in the college all these days. It cropped up recently,” Gousiya, a final year degree student told DH.

“We have approached the college principal, Managlore University Vice Chancellor and Deputy Commissioner, appealing to allow us to wear hijab inside the classrooms till the end of our academic year. Some of us will be completing our graduation in the next two to three months. The decision taken by the syndicate in the middle of the academic year will hamper our studies,” she said.

Gousiya said that the college administration does not allow Muslim girls to wear hijab even outside the classroom or the library. She alleged that they are often abused by ABVP-backed students who take videos of the girls and pass comments at them.

“Some had flaunted saffron stole to us when we visited the college campus. We had even submitted a complaint to the college principal on the harassment. However, no action was taken against them so far,” she said.

After a raging controversy over the wearing of hijab in educational institutes, the Karnataka High Court in March upheld the state government’s ban on the scarf while observing that wearing hijab was not an essential practice in Islam.

The Mangalore University Syndicate in its May meeting adopted a resolution banning hijab on campuses of its constituent colleges in deference to the high court verdict.