BENGALURU/UDUPI: Coming to school or college in hijab or headscarf is tantamount to indiscipline, said state primary and secondary education minister B C Nagesh on Thursday.
"Uniforms were introduced in 1985 to bring a sense of oneness among students and to ensure educational institutions don't become a place to practice one's religion," Nagesh told TOI, reacting to the headscarf row at the Government PU College for girls in Udupi district. Six students of the college have been staging a protest since December-end for not being allowed to sit in class with the hijab.
He also referred to the students' protests as ‘politically motivated,' accusing vested interests of influencing the Muslim students to stage a stir.
"If the six students are so adamant about practicing their faith in college, they are welcome to leave the college and enrol in an institute that allows hijabs," he added.
Defending the decision of college authorities not to allow hijab in class, Nagesh said barring the six students, the rest of the 94 Muslim students are attending classes in uniform. Moreover, he said the six students had attended college without the hijab for last one-and-a-half years.
On Thursday, the six girls continued their protest in front of the college holding placards.
On Wednesday, at a meeting with government officials, including the assistant commissioner, tahsildar, representatives from the minority welfare department, parents, and the students, to resolve the row, it was decided that the girls could be in the hijab in the classroom until the teacher enters the class. Once classes begin, they have to remove it. It was also decided that they could wear the hijab on sports days, cultural days, or during similar social gatherings.
The students did not agree to the conditions set by the college and resumed protest on Thursday. "They have been harassing us mentally by not allowing us to attend classes wearing the hijab. We would have no problem if all the lecturers were women, but there are many male lecturers here. We cannot sit in class without our hijab when a male teacher is taking class," said one of the six students.
The six students also alleged that the college authorities were not even allowing them to talk to their classmates.
"There are 76 Muslim students in our college. It is their choice if they want to wear the hijab or not. It is an individual choice. We six want to protect our rights and we will continue our protest," said another student.
College betterment committee president and Udupi MLA K Raghupati Bhat said they have written to the government asking whether uniforms are mandatory. "We are yet to get a response. If the government decides not to make uniform compulsory, then the college will allow the six students to attend classes with hijabs," he added.
Masood Manna, a member of the Campus Front of India, said that it is a violation of the right to education and the right to practise religion.
