India College: "NO HIJAB"

India College Denied Hijab After Fees Paid

Mangalore, India - Muslim Girl Refused Education For Covering Her Hair

It is sad to see the following article about a sister in Mangalore, India being refused entrance to college, even after paying large amount - for wearing headscarf.

MANGALORE - In a glaring incident of victimizing hijab clad students, a college authority has apparently incapacitated a Muslim student from perceiving education in a town called Moodabidre near Mangalore.

Hadiya, a 17 year old student of 2nd PU in Jain PU College was denied the permission to attend the classes for mere wearing a head-scarf. Interestingly, college did not inform her about the hijab at the time of admission into 1st PU and during the admission into 2nd PU. Moreover college has collected hefty fee from the student.

Speaking to newzfirst, Hadiya says, “There was no system of uniform in the college last year when I took the admission. Later after one month we were told not wear the head-scarves in the pretext of introducing uniforms. I was shocked, subsequently not allowed to attend the classes. For about one and half month I stayed out of classes. Keeping the forthcoming exams in the mind, later I attended the classes without the scarf with a heavy heart.”

“This year I attended class with Hijab, as I did not want to lose my identity anymore. Moreover, the Indian constitution has guaranteed freedom to practice one's religion without hurting anybody. However, the authorities asked me to go out, apparently violating my rights,” she said.

“This time we all who want to wear scarf, even submitted a requisition to the Principal to allow us to wear head-scarf using shawl provided in the uniform. Even many of non-Muslim friends supported our cause by signing the request letter, though it was futile,  in return those non-Muslim students got the warnings” she recalls.

“It is no were mentioned in the calendar of college not to wear the headscarves. It talks about only the uniform dress. It’s my right to wear the head scarf as it doesn’t disturb anyone, or it doesn’t go against any rule or the law. I feel comfortable in it so I wear it voluntarily” she affirmed.

She and her guardians made several appeals to the college authorities to allow her to cover her hair with the shawl of the uniform, but futile.

Hina, mother of Hadiya says, “They troubled us last year, but we compromised as there was no solution neither from principal nor from management. They were just blaming each other for the move of banning head scarf. Interestingly, personally neither of them had any objection towards wearing the scarf; at some instances they had even appreciated the practice of it”

“We have approached the DC of Dakshina Kannada Mr. NS Channappa Gowda requesting him to intervene into this issue and to direct college authorities to not to violate constitutional right of my daughter” she added.

“My daughter had managed to complete the first year of the PUC at Jain College Moodabidre, despite the institution suddenly imposed ‘unconstitutional rules’ forcing Muslim girls to remove their head scarf. However, now she has firmly decided to fight for ‘freedom of dress’.” she explained.

“Deputy Commissioner has assured that he will hold the talk with college management soon, "We will decide about next course of action after the response from DC” she said.

“Last year we had approached the then DC V Ponnuraj seeking for justice. He had clarified that the college administration cannot force a girl to remove her head scarf and promised to speak with college authorities. But, things had never changed after his promise,” recalls Hina.

According to the officials of the PU department there are no such strict guidelines on the dress code of students. It is left to the conscience of management.

Other cases:

Karakala College (Udupi)
In the same kind of incident, a student of a Karkala College in neighboring district Udupi was denied the permission to attend the classes early in this academic year. But timely intervention by DC had resolved the problem.

Bantwal (Dakshina Kannada)
Last year the same kind of incident had taken place in the Bantwal taluk of Dakshina Kannada where a student Aysha Asmeen was denied the entry into college. Later, she was allowed to wear as the management agreed to give-up its stance.

Concerns:

As the government is promoting the education among the girls in priority basis, these incidents in the coastal part of Karnataka are on the raise. Instead of facilitating the girls’ students from Muslim community who are coming out for the higher education in these years, these kinds of incidents pose the challenge on the very right to education.

RELIGIOUS FRICTION
Are these developments in coastal Karnataka the sign of failure of multiculturalism or is it the latest sign of the friction between races and religions? - It is a matter of high concern.

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