St Agnes College firm on dress code, says a few students were ‘instigated’ by CFI

Harsha Raj Gatty | coastaldigest.com news network
June 29, 2018

Mangaluru, Jun 29: Refusing to yield to the demands of the protesters, city-based St Agnes College has made it clear that the dress code was already specified, accepted by student and their parents during admission and there won’t be exception.

Earlier this week, a few Muslim students of the college under the aegis of the Campus Front of India, had staged a protest to exert pressure on the college authorities to allow them to wear headscarf as part of hijab inside classroom.

According to the college authorities, the protesting student had admitted to them that they were instigated by 'strangers' from the CFI to voice against the rules and norms of the college.

Speaking to the media, Principal of St Agnes College, Sr Dr Jeswina AC also clarified no action were taken against the protesting students, besides summoning their parents.

"None of the students were suspended, however we have asked them to give a 'explanation' in writing in the presence of their parents since the protest was carried out without prior permission," she said.

Dr Jeswina also added that following the protest, a lot of false propaganda have been floated against the college by certain instigators. 

"None of the students were touched or had their headscarf removed by any of our faculty. Neither we have taken their signature in blank papers, these rumours are absolutely baseless to malign the image of the college," she said.

Questioned on the religious headgear worn by Catholic nuns at the Educational institute, Dr Jeswina said that they allowed it, since it was a 'Uniform' for them and not an circumstantial/occasional attire. They have to wear it throughout day to night, she said.

Meanwhile, Naureen, Vice President of St Agnes Student Council, who is also a Muslim, said that the female students were instigated by a Whatsapp group 'Justice for Scarf and Namaz'. "Few days back even I was added to this group along with other Agnes students, but I did not appreciate the conversation and the context. Subsequently I  exited from the group. However my number was anonymously circulated I have been receiving wielded threats from an unidentified male from Saudi Arabia," she said.

Dr Jeswina added that in concern of Naureen's security they plan to file a complaint and share the number with Cyber cell. Meanwhile, the College authorities has already been provided round the clock security following the incident. 

Speaking to the media, Anees Sheikh, the father of a student, who had taken part in the protest, said that his daughter was unnecessarily dragged to the issue by CFI. "My daughter was just called by this group to discuss the matter outside college gate. But when the media arrived in the scene, she was pressurised to make a statement by CFI. Clearly instigated by them, my daughter made certain statements. At this age it is easy for children to fall for pressure of such groups. The matter is blown out of proportion, whereas I certainly feel that this is an internal matter and it can be resolved by the school management and administration," he said.

Also Read: 

Agnes Hijab row: Muslim girl claims ‘threat’ from Gulf; father slams CFI for ‘using’ his daughter

Mangaluru college downplays hijab row, says students were aware of dress code before admission

Mangaluru: Burkha-clad CFI girls protest in front St Agnes College over hijab ban

Comments

Navaz
 - 
Sunday, 1 Jul 2018

Why the double standard, when nun student can wear her headscarf because her religious choice, but Muslim student can't, let them wear a headscarf, by the way how about muslim student wear a same uniform as your nuns wearing in collage, Is is allowed ? Please clarify

Abdullah
 - 
Saturday, 30 Jun 2018

Dont give charity to these double standard nuns

Mohammed
 - 
Saturday, 30 Jun 2018

It’s very easy to pressurize student and their parents by the college, by threatening parents and student ruin their life by rusticating the student. As we have seen in “3 idiots” movie.

Now it Looks like college want to DIVERT THE ISSUE FROM HIJAB TO DEFAMING CFI. 

In press meet we can clearly make out the principal is acting in very submissive way, acting like VICTIM.

But WHY “PRINCIPAL IS DEFENDING HER RIGHT TO WEAR SCARF & SAME TIME STUDENT IS NOT ALLOWED TO WEAR THE SCARF….”  Why college has made such double standard rule in first place…?

You can THREATEN STUDENTs & THEIR PARENTS…. But your Hypocrisy is EXPOSED anyway….

Roshan Deen
 - 
Saturday, 30 Jun 2018

First of all please let me know in which version of the Bible it says not to marry and become Priests and Nuns. There is no priesthood Islam, so men and woman all have to follow its teaching. When Muslim woman wearing Hijab it is oppression But when Nun wear it is decoration. Why Priest are not made to cover their head like Nuns?.”.Read the below verse of Bible and know who is dominating who; If a woman does not cover her head, let her hair be cut off. And if it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, she should cover her head. A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man.… A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. For man did not come from woman, but woman from man. Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.…( 1 CORINTHIANS 11:6-9)

Nizanuddin
 - 
Saturday, 30 Jun 2018

if nuns wear hijab its religious Muslims wear it is fancy dress?  Hijab is part body women body.

Abdulbaseer
 - 
Friday, 29 Jun 2018

J C Lobo.......I agree with your comments. why this difference ?

Naren, its better you dont poke in b**dy nose here. this is matter between a bunch of bonafide indian citizens and the management of college, fighting for religous freedom 

 

give your suggestions to people like pumpwell, etc

Naren Kotian
 - 
Friday, 29 Jun 2018

Congrats to Naureen. Muslim girls like you are asset of the nation. Don’t hesitate to go and file complaint against those who issue you threats. They are jihadists. People like them had tried to kill Malala too. I am sure that you will face more threats in future from thirbokis. But believe me, the more threats you receive, the more you become stronger. 
Jai Hind

MK and NM
 - 
Friday, 29 Jun 2018

We were about to convince the college management to go soft on Muslim students and allow them to wear headscarf. But these protesters played spoilsport and politicized the issue. Now, muslim students of St Agnes college are extremely embarrassed because of the protest and subsequent developments. 

J C Lobo
 - 
Friday, 29 Jun 2018

Agree everything. But why differentiate between hijab of a Christian woman and Hijab of a Muslim woman? If headscarf is banned then Christian nuns/sisters also should not be allowed to cover their head.

Reader
 - 
Friday, 29 Jun 2018

Someone please convince this principal madam that Hijab is not occasion dress. Muslim girls supposed to wear it all the day. 

Mangalorean
 - 
Friday, 29 Jun 2018

Doodh ka doodh… paani ka paani

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May 23,2020

Udupi, May 23: Five more persons tested positive for coronavirus in the coastal district of Udupi today. 

They include three men aged 37, 55, 31 and two women aged 48 and 34. 

Among them four are returnees from Mumbai and one is foreign returnee.

With this the total number of covid-19 cases in the district rose to 55.

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Ram Puniyani
January 14,2020

In the beginning of January 2020 two very disturbing events were reported from Pakistan. One was the attack on Nankana Sahib, the holy shrine where Sant Guru Nanak was born. While one report said that the place has been desecrated, the other stated that it was a fight between two Muslim groups. Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan condemned the incident and the main accused Imran Chisti was arrested. The matter related to abduction and conversion of a Sikh girl Jagjit Kaur, daughter of Pathi (One who reads Holy Guru Granth Sahib in Gurudwara) of the Gurudwara. In another incident one Sikh youth Ravinder Singh, who was out on shopping for his marriage, was shot dead in Peshawar.

While these condemnable attacks took place on the Sikh minority in Pakistan, BJP was quick enough to jump to state that it is events like this which justify the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Incidentally CAA is the Act which is discriminatory and relates to citizenship with Religion, which is not as per the norms of Indian constitution. There are constant debates and propaganda that population of Hindus has come down drastically in Pakistan and Bangla Desh. Amit Shah, the Home minister stated that in Pakistan the population of Hindus has come down from 23% at the time of partition to 3.7% at present. And in Bangla Desh it has come down from 22% to present 8%.

While not denying the fact that the religious minorities are getting a rough deal in both these countries, the figures which are presented are totally off the mark. These figures don’t take into consideration the painful migrations, which took place at the time of partition and formation of Bangla Desh later. Pakistan census figures tell a different tale. Their first census was held in 1951. As per this census the overall percentage of Non Muslim in Pakistan (East and West together) was 14.2%, of this in West Pakistan (Now Pakistan) it was 3.44 and in Eat Pakistan it was 23.2. In the census held in Pakistan 1998 it became 3.72%. As far as Bangla Desh is concerned the share of Non Muslims has gone down from 23.2 (1951) to 9.6% in 2011.

The largest minority of Pakistan is Ahmadis, (https://minorityrights.org/country/pakistan/) who are close to 4 Million and are not recognised as Muslims in Pakistan. In Bangla Desh the major migrations of Hindus from Bangla Desh took place in the backdrop of Pakistan army’s atrocities in the then East Pakistan.

As far as UN data on refugees in India it went up by 17% between 2016-2019 and largest numbers were from Tibet and Sri Lanka.  (https://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/migration/publication…)

The state of minorities is in a way the index of strength of democracy. Most South Asian Countries have not been able to sustain democratic values properly. In Pakistan, the Republic began with Jinnah’s classic speech where secularism was to be central credo of Pakistan. This 11th August speech was in a way what the state policy should be, as per which people of all faiths are free to practice their religion. Soon enough the logic of ‘Two Nation theory” and formation of Pakistan, a separate state for Muslim took over. Army stepped in and dictatorship was to reign there intermittently. Democratic elements were suppressed and the worst came when Zia Ul Haq Islamized the state in collusion with Maulanas. The army was already a strong presence in Pakistan. The popular formulation for Pakistan was that it is ruled by three A’s, Army, America and Allah (Mullah).

Bangla Desh had a different trajectory. Its very formation was a nail in the coffin of ‘two nation theory’; that religion can be the basis of a state. Bangla Desh did begin as a secular republic but communal forces and secular forces kept struggling for their dominance and in 1988 it also became Islamic republic. At another level Myanmar, in the grip of military dictatorship, with democratic elements trying to retain their presence is also seeing a hard battle. Democracy or not, the army and Sanghas (Buddhist Sang has) are strong, in Myanmar as well. The most visible result is persecution of Rohingya Muslims.

Similar phenomenon is dominating in Sri Lanka also where Budhhist Sanghas and army have strong say in the political affairs, irrespective of which Government is ruling. Muslim and Christian minorities are a big victim there, while Tamils (Hindus, Christians etc.) suffered the biggest damage as ethnic and religious minorities. India had the best prospect of democracy, pluralism and secularism flourishing here. The secular constitution, the outcome of India’s freedom struggle, the leadership of Gandhi and Nehru did ensure the rooting of democracy and secularism in a strong way.

India so far had best democratic credentials amongst all the south Asian countries. Despite that though the population of minorities rose mainly due to poverty and illiteracy, their overall marginalisation was order of the day, it went on worsening with the rise of communal forces, with communal forces resorting to identity issues, and indulging in propaganda against minorities.

While other South Asian countries should had followed India to focus more on infrastructure and political culture of liberalism, today India is following the footsteps of Pakistan. The retrograde march of India is most visible in the issues which have dominated the political space during last few years. Issues like Ram Temple, Ghar Wapasi, Love Jihad, Beef-Cow are now finding their peak in CAA.

India’s reversal towards a polity with religion’s identity dominating the political scene was nicely presented by the late Pakistani poetess Fahmida Riaz in her poem, Tum bhi Hum Jaise Nikle (You also turned out to be like us). While trying to resist communal forces has been an arduous task, it is becoming more difficult by the day. This phenomenon has been variously called, Fundamentalism, Communalism or religious nationalism among others. Surely it has nothing to do with the religion as practiced by the great Saint and Sufi traditions of India; it resorts mainly to political mobilization by using religion as a tool.

Comments

Ashi
 - 
Tuesday, 14 Jan 2020

If Malaysia implement similar NRC/CAA, India and China are the loser.

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News Network
March 29,2020

Chamaranagara, Mar 29: As many as 595 Tamil Nadu-based fishermen, who were working in Mangaluru, crossed the Karnataka border and reached their state via Chamarajanagar on Saturday.

Police said following the lockdown, the fishermen had left Mangaluru in more than 20 vehicles. The fishermen crossed the Karnataka border through Punajur check-post. However, the vehicles returned after dropping them near Hasanur check-post in Tamil Nadu.

As the fishermen had no proper documents, they were stopped by Tamil Nadu Police. However, the police allowed them after screening. The Tamil Nadu government arranged vehicles to ferry them, said a police officer.

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