Hijab row: 5 girl students seek transfer certificates from college in K'taka

Five Muslim girls seek transfer certificates from the Hampanakatta University College administratin after they were denied permission to attend classes while wearing hijab.

Dakshina Kannada (Karnataka): Five Muslim girl students from the Hampanakatta University College here have asked for transfer certificates from the college administration after being denied permission to attend classes wearing hijab. Principal Anusuya Rai has confirmed that the five students have applied for transfer certificates to join other colleges. However, they are being asked to submit another letter making certain corrections.

The college management will take a call on issuing the certificates once the girls submit the letters. Due to the evaluation work, the undergraduate courses teaching has been shifted online from Monday. Except for a few students, majority of the 44 Muslim students who study in the college had attended classes as per the guidelines.

After the announcement of II PUC results, the admissions to UG courses will begin from this week. Mangaluru University Vice Chancellor P.S. Yadapaditaya had earlier announced that the university would make special provisions for Muslim girls who want to join other colleges in connection with the hijab rule. Hundreds of students studying in University College in Mangaluru city had boycotted the classes on May 26 protesting against allowing Muslim girl students to attend classes in hijab.

The students had demanded that the college management should prohibit students from wearing hijab in classes. They expressed their anger against the college management for allowing hijab in classrooms despite the court and the government orders in this regard. The Hijab crisis, which started as a protest by 6 students of Udupi Pre-University Girl's College, turned into a major crisis-like situation in Karnataka last year.

The issue attracted international attention and dented the image of the state. The students then filed a petition with the High Court seeking permission to wear hijab in classrooms. The High Court taking note of the crisis situation in the state and sensitivity of the matter constituted a special bench of three judges and heard the petition immediately.

The Special Bench headed by the Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi dismissed the petition filed by the students and observed that wearing of hijab is not an essential practice in Islam. The government of Karnataka has issued guidelines for schools and pre university colleges making uniform compulsory for students without giving any room for wearing of hijab in classrooms. (IANS)