Karnataka: College suspends students for dancing in burqa in Mangaluru

Four engineering college students in Mangaluru were placed under suspension for allegedly dancing to the tune of a Bollywood item song while wearing a burqa, with their video going viral.

The management of St. Joseph Engineering College in the Karnataka city took swift action against its students after a few social media users termed the dance as obscene and inappropriate, college authorities said.

The college administrative board suspended the students after an internal inquiry. College principal Rio D’Souza said the management has immediately suspended the students who belong to the Muslim community.

Also read: Students wearing burqa not allowed to write class 12 exams in Udupi

“The dance in the video has taken place after the official programme was over. The college does not support any act inside the campus that jeopardises the harmony between various communities,” a statement from the college said.

The programme had taken place in the college on Wednesday (December 7) evening during the inauguration of a students’ association. After the programme got over, a few students of the college got onto the dais and danced wearing burqas.

The video went viral on social media and heated debates were raging among netizens. Many who responded to the video clip said it was a mockery of the dress traditionally worn by Muslim women.

Also read: Not allowed to wear burqa, Muslim students protest in Jaipur

The burqa-clad students were allegedly seen dancing to the song Fevicol Se from the Hindi movie Dabangg-2.

“The video clip being circulated in social media has captured a part of the dance by students of the Muslim community itself who barged on stage during the informal part of students association inaugural,” it said.

“It was not part of the approved programme and the students involved have been suspended pending inquiry. The college does not support or condone any activities that could harm the harmony between communities and everyone on campus knows that strict guidelines that are in place in this regard,” the statement read.

(With agency inputs)