Political leaders, including Shashi Tharoor and Mehbooba Mufti, artists like Swara Bhashkar and others, have expressed deep anguish on the social media after a government college in Karnataka’s Udupi district barred students wearing Hijab from entering the college on Thursday. The Udupi college is the second government college to have taken such an ill advised decision.
Video clips showing principal of Bhandarkars’ College of Kundapur stopping the hijab-wearing students from entering the college has gone viral on the social media. The girls’ fervent pleading to allow them in seems to have no impact on him.
The students’ contention is that why bar them from entering the college now, while they have been attending classes in the hijab for long.
The college authorities have reportedly closed college gates on as many as 18 girls in hijab. Earlier, a pre-university (PU) college drew flak for banning hijab on its premises following which the aggrieved students moved the Karnataka High Court challenging the decision of the college authorities.
The video footage of the Kundapur college’s principal physically preventing students from entering and shutting the door on the face while the wailing girls has evoked widespread outrage online and offline. Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor and Bollywood actress Swara Bhashkar voiced their resistance to the college’s action and slammed the state government for curtailing students’ basic rights.
Questioning the college’s bar on the hijab, Throor asked what about the attire of other religious communities like Sikhs who wear turban, Hindus with forehead marks and Christians’ crucifix.
“This college is going down a slippery slope. Let the girls in. Let them study. Let THEM decide,” said Tharoor.
Reacting to the video footage, former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti, slammed the Modi Government’s slogan ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ calling it a ‘hallow slogan’.
“Legitimising the marginalisation of Muslims is one more step towards converting Gandhi’s India into Godse’s India,” She remarked.
Bollywood actress Swara Bhashkar said what is happening with those Muslim wearing girls is unconstitutional and unlawful and asked Karnataka Chief Minister BS Bommai to uphold the constitution and rule of the law in the matter.
“The actions of the Principal violate Article 25 of our Constitution… Do your job!! You are sworn to the constitution,” she tweeted.
Radio Jockey, Sayema called it a violation of the constitution and shamed Chief Minister Bommai for allowing such a thing to happen with the students.
International scholar and author Audrey Truschke said that women have every right to wear what they want.
“Stop being Islamophobic, and give the girls an education. The youth are India’s future,” she said.