Mangalore University denies entry to 13 girls for wearing hijabs

On Monday, 13 Mangalore University students were denied entry to their classrooms, citing a Karnataka High Court judgement upholding the hijab prohibition. Students had pleaded with college officials to allow them to access the grounds wearing a hijab on Saturday as well, but they were denied. The problem was then brought up by three pupils to the district’s deputy commissioner.

Students argued that the court’s injunction only applied to pre-university schools, not degree colleges, in order to gain admission to the college while wearing hijabs. They further claimed that the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) had manipulated the situation to seek attention.

While addressing the press, one of the students said, ‘We had given a letter to the DC (to review the dress rule) and resolve the matter silently. The issue is going on for one-and-half weeks but it did not attract any publicity because we wanted to resolve the issue legally, but it got publicity because of the ABVP’.

According to a Whatsapp discussion in a students’ group, students affiliated with the ABVP had called for Hindus to come to the campus grounds wearing saffron shawls on May 24. Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Rajendra KV said that the authorities had refused to let students access the grounds because hijabs or saffron scarves may disrupt the campus’s serenity.

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Authorities also highlighted a ruling by the state’s top court, which stated that wearing a headscarf is not an obligatory Islamic practice. ‘I told them that I cannot challenge the decision of the syndicate members at the district level and they have to abide by the order and rules of the syndicate. They also have to look at the legal aspects as well. I have also appealed to them to ensure peace on the college campus’, the deputy commissioner added.

P Subrahmanya Yadapadithaya, vice chancellor of Mangalore University, had previously stated during a news conference that the university will implement the high court and Karnataka government’s instructions.