By TCN Staff Reporter,
Udupi, Karnataka: A protest demonstration was held here on 24th July against the authorities of Ramakunjeshwara First Grade College (RFGC), Uppinanagady for filing cases against Muslim girl students who are holding sit-in for two weeks against the Hijab ban order, and their supporters.
The Udupi unit of Campus Front of India organized protest demonstration opposite Udupi Bus Stop condemning the attitude of the Principal and the Administrative Council of the college “for registering false criminal charges against students and those who supported them in the protest.”
Campus Front Udupi district unit protest against college authorities over Hijab ban
The girl students are staging protest outside the main gate of the college for last two weeks. In the beginning they had boycotted classes. It all started after the college decided to ban Muslim girls wearing headscarf inside the classrooms. This ban imposed by that college has outraged the students to protest against the principal and management.
In last two weeks many student groups and community organisations have come out to support the girl students in their demand to revoke the ban order.
Supporting this issue, All College Students’ Association (ACSA) protested on 20th July in Mangalore. They held silent protest marches. But still the college Principal and Administrative Council of RFGC have not made any attempt to reverse their decision on headscarf ban.
[Courtesy: CoastalDigest.Com]
Instead they have registered cases against the students, the Karnataka president of Campus Front of India and other student leaders.
Talking to TCN over phone from Udupi, Mr Farhan Honnala, Udupi unit president of Campus Front, said: “We were protesting peacefully outside the college campus. The Superintendent of Police of Mangalore was also present there. He requested us to protest in a peaceful manner. And we did it. Yet, after the protest, college authorities went to local police station and filed cases against us.”
Mr Farhan informed that the college admin has filed cases against 14 persons including two girl students of the same college and Karnataka president of Campus Front. He, however, added that no arrest has been made in so far.
He further informed that seeing the huge protest on 20th July, the college administration verbally promised the girl students and protestors that they will find out a solution within a week after consulting with all authorities of the college. Following the promise, the girl students, who were holding sit-in for about two weeks, called off their protest and started going to college from 21st July without Hijab.
Farhan Honnala, Udupi unit president of Campus Front demanded the college authorities to act immediately and resolve the ongoing controversy of wearing headscarf by Muslim women students.