Allow Muslim girls to wear burqa on campus: DC tells Subrahmanya College

Mangalore, October 2: N S Chennappa Gowda, Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada district, has intervened and directed the Kukke Shri Subrahmanyeshwara College in Subrhamanya, to continue with the older system and withdraw the ban on burqa on the campus.

The College authorities had through a sudden order on September 22, banned burqa for Muslim girls on campus.

Although the college had earlier provided the girls with an opportunity to remove their burqa in the ladies room, the latest order prohibiting them from entering the campus wearing burqa had been causing inconvenience to the girls.

Taking the issue seriously, the Deputy Commissioner held a discussion with the College Principal Dinesh Kamath and directed him to go back to the older system and provide opportunity for the girls to enter the campus wearing their traditional robes and remove them inside the ladies room.

A total of 400 students are studying in the college out of which 17 students are Muslims. Among them 15 are girl students. They used to come to the college wearing their burqas atop their college uniforms and would remove them in the ladies room before entering the class.

But following the order on September 22, the Principal summoned all the 15 girls to his chamber and notified them about the latest rule set out by the college management.

Due to this the Muslim girls had to face inconveniences as they had to remove it outside the college campus every time, sometimes even on the street, and then enter. Lack of a proper place to remove burqas before entering the campus was creating embarrassment for the girls.

Although a majority of the Muslim girls have not shown any adamant behaviour with respect to wearing burqa on the campus, they were asking for a proper facility to take the traditional dress off.

The College management on the other hand said that it is difficult to arrange for a facility for the girls to remove their burqas.

Krishna Prasad, President of the Managing Committee, said that if one such facility is created for the girls today, some other students will start demanding similar such facilities in the future. The management will however, take into consideration the opinion of lecturers and students and then take a decision, he said.

Related: Now, Subrahmanya College bans hijab on campus