Pics: Silvester D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (JD/EP)
Kundapur, Feb 5: Kundapur junior college development committee banned wearing of Hijab and saffron shawls inside classrooms. The decision was taken in a meeting of the college development committee held on Saturday February 5.
Students have been allowed to enter the campus with hijab. But before entering the class, both hijab and saffron shawls have to be removed and prescribed uniform has to be followed. There is no scope for practicing religion inside the class, opined the committee.
The meeting was held on directions from Kundapur MLA and college development committee president Haladi Srinivas Shetty in the presence of committee members, principal and senior lecturers.
Senior member Mohandas Shenoy said that the government orders as suggested by the MLA will be followed. “There is no scope for religious matters in the government college. The college has a history of model education. Therefore, the decision was unanimous. Those who come to the college may remove their Hijab and scarf before entry. Those who refuse to remove them will not be permitted inside the college gate. It was decided that the matter is internal to the college and outsiders regardless of their status cannot interfere.”
College development committee chief secretary, principal Ramakrishna B G, members Mohandas Shenoy, Seetarama Nakkattaya, Anantakrishna Kodgi, Rajiv Kotian, Narayana, Ramanna, Dinaker Rao, Sripad Upadhyaya, Kundapur municipal council president Veena Bhasker Mendon, vice president Sandeep Kharvi, professor secretary Udaya Kumar Shetty and senior professor Bhujanga Shetty took part in the meeting.
Earlier, the Hijab-saffron shawl controversy in Kundapur region continues to rage for the fourth day in succession in Kundapur. On Saturday, students of another private college in Kundapur town reached their colleges wearing saffron shawls. In a tense situation both the Hijab-wearing students and saffron clad students had a face-off.
In an immediate action the private college administration declared holiday to the college till the announcement of the government decision on uniforms. The police acted instantly and sent away all the students back home.
The Bhandarkar’s college of Kundapur also witnessed saffron-hijab dispute for the second day. The students marched from Parijatha circle to Bhandarkar's college wearing saffron shawls. College administration allowed the students only after they removed their saffron shawls. Bags of the students were also thoroughly checked before giving permission to enter the college.
The saffron wearing students demanded that they should be allowed to continue to wear the saffron until the wearing of Hijab is restricted. They also raised slogans like 'Jai Shri Ram' and 'Har Har Mahadev'.
It may be recalled, the row over Hijab and saffron shawl had started in the college on February 3. The college remained closed for the last three days in this connection. The classes will be held from Monday, February 7 as per the decision of the college development committee.