Hijab ban: College principal stands firm as fringe groups up the ante
Mangaluru: The controversy over the St Agnes College not allowing Muslim girls to wear hijab in class is snowballing with the Campus Front of India (CFI) deciding to hold protests in all parts of the district on Thursday.
On Monday Muslim students and CFI members had protested against the college for its no head scarf rule in class. The girls, who participated in the protest, have been issued notices by the college and been given three days to respond. They have also have been told to bring their parents to the college, according to CFI.
"We are very unhappy with the college administration for not listening to the students or us and trying to come out with a solution. It is being adamant," said CFI state council member, Riyaz Kadambu speaking to the Deccan Chronicle, adding that the organisation planned to hold protests in all the taluks of the district on Thursday and if the college still did not relent, would decide on its future course of action.
CFI district president, Imran PJ, said it planned to hold a meeting of the college students, their parents and religious heads to discuss the issue. "The girls have been given notice and have been asked to bring their parents, although they only want to wear the head-scarf and not a burqa. They want to merely cover their hair. Hijab is allowed in other colleges," he said, adding,"The college claims the students were told about the ban on hijab in the prospectus. But in reality it was given to them only after the college started and they had paid their fee."
Pointing out that even the principal of the college, who was a nun, covered her head with a scarf, and several student nuns too covered their heads, another activist demanded, “ When they are allowed to wear head scarves, why not Muslim girls ?” The college,however, claimed that all students were attending classes and there was no unrest among them. "Classes are on as usual with all students attending them. These are not new rules. They have been around for several years,” said the college vice principal.
