Hijab vs Saffron Scarf Row: College in Ktaka's Chikmagalur to hold parents' meeting

Chikmagalur (Karnataka): After some students staged a protest in the college premises against another group of students for wearing hijab along with the uniform in Balagadi First Grade College in Koppa taluk of Chikmagalur district in Karnataka, the college management on Tuesday decided to hold a meeting with the parents.

Triggering a row, a group of students in the college have now started wearing saffron scarves and shawls to the college, in retaliation to some students wearing hijab. The college had made national headlines three years ago for the same reason.

Some even boycotted classes for allowing some students to wear hijab. The students have claimed that uniform norms are being violated by some students who wear hijabs along with uniforms. If they are allowed to wear hijabs, they must also be allowed to sport saffron scarves and shawls, they said.

Reports say that the college administration has also banned Muslim girl students from wearing hijab in the classroom. However, she can wear the hijab throughout the college campus except in the classroom. The reason behind this decision is being told that the pressure of the students of other groups, who came to the campus wearing saffron scarfs and shawls, demanding the prescribed dress code.

The protesting students have been assured that the college management would conduct a meeting of parents on January 10 in connection with the issue. No outside forces, leaders or any organisation representatives will be allowed in the meeting.

The students have also been told that a holiday will be declared on January 10 for the meeting and if the parents do not agree to the uniform norms, the students could come to college clad in dresses of their choice.

Three years ago, when the same issue turned into a controversy, a parents' meeting was held, in which a decision was taken hijabs, saffron shawls and scarfs should not be worn to the college.

But since last two months, some girl students have been coming to the college wearing hijabs, says an IANS report.

The students also raised slogans against the college authorities for not allowing them to wear saffron shawls and scarves.

Meanwhile, the Principal of the college Ananth Murthy reacted to the online portal Indian Nation that wearing a hijab will not be considered a violation of the college dress code.

"The issue was discussed during the parents' meeting and we had also advised the students," the portal quoted Principal as saying. The principal also said that the issue would be resolved soon. The police have not registered a case in the matter.

According to the report, police say that the responsibility of solving the case rests with the college.

Chikmagalur district is a stronghold of the BJP. The party's national general secretary and BJP MLA C.T. Ravi hails from this district.