Bengaluru / Udupi: Coming to school or college in the hijab or headscarf same as with indiscipline, said Minister of Primary and Secondary Education State B C Nagesh on Thursday.
“Uniforms were introduced in 1985 to bring a sense of unity among students and to ensure that educational institutions do not become a place to practice one’s religion,” said Nagesh told TOI, reacted to the veil in government PU College for girls in Udupi district.
Six college students have been staging protests since late December because it is not allowed to sit in class with a headscarf.
He also refers to the student protests as ‘politically motivated,’ accused of personal interest to influence Muslim students to hold up.
“If the six students were very adamant to practice their faith in college, they are welcome to leave college and enroll in an institute that allows the veil,” he added.
College authorities defended the decision to not allow headscarves in class, Nagesh said banning six students, the rest of the Muslim students attend class 94 uniform.
In addition, he said six students have attended college without the veil during the last one and a half years.
On Thursday, six girls continue their protest in front of the university plaque.
On Wednesday, at a meeting with government officials, including Assistant Commissioner, Tahsildar, representatives of the Ministry of Minority Welfare, parents, and students, to complete the line, it was decided that the girls could be in a headscarf in the classroom until the teacher enters the classroom.
Once classes begin, they should remove it.
It was also decided that they could wear the hijab at sports days, days of culture, or during social gatherings alike.
The students do not agree to the terms set by the college and continue the protests on Thursday.
“They have been harassing us mentally by not allowing us to attend classes wearing headscarves.
We will not have a problem if all professors are women, but there are many lecturers men here.
We can not sit in class without a headscarf us when a jilbab taking classes, “said one of the six students.
The sixth student was also alleged that the college authorities do not even allow them to speak with their classmates.
“There are 76 Muslim students in our college.
It’s their choice if they want to wear the hijab or not.
It is an individual choice.
We sixes want to protect our rights and we will continue our protest,” said another student.
Committee president and Udupi Mla Class Class K Raghupati Bhat said they had written to the government asking if mandatory uniform.
“We have not received a response.
If the government decides not to make a mandatory uniform, then the college will allow six students to attend classes with headscarves,” he added.
Masood Manna, a member of the campus in front of India, said that it was a violation of the right to education and the right to practice religion.