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Thursday, Aug 20, 2009
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Burkha ban: notice issued to college

Staff Correspondent

B.Com student suspended for wearing headscarf
Deputy Commissioner terms ban unconstitutional

MANGALORE: Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada V. Ponnuraj on Wednesday issued a show-cause notice to the management of SVS College, Bantwal, for banning students from wearing burkha on the campus.

Mr. Ponnuraj has also written to the Principal Secretary, Department of Collegiate Education, recommending punitive action against the college for imposing an “unconstitutional” ban.

“This issue can have ramifications on the fragile relations between different communities here,” he told presspersons.

He expressed hope that the Department of Collegiate Education and the State Government would take up the cause of ensuring the basic rights of an individual as enshrined in the Constitution.

Mr. Ponnuraj’s action follows a complaint he received on Wednesday from Aysha Ashmin (18), a first year B.Com student of SVS College who has been suspended for wearing a headscarf.

“I do not have the powers to direct the college authorities in this matter,” Mr. Ponnuraj told Ms. Ashmin, who was accompanied by her father, Mahmood B., and activists of various students’ organisations. However, he condemned the college action and said in his notice to the management that “you are giving rise to a situation that may lead to disharmony between Hindus and Muslims”.

Describing the ban as an “impingement on the individual and fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution” and a negative development, he said, “This ban is just another symptom … a manifestation of the deep social divide in this region.”

Superintendent of Police A.S. Rao, who was present in Mr. Ponnuraj’s office during the meeting with Ms. Ashmin, said that the police would take up the issue if it came in the way of maintaining peace between communities.

He dismissed issues of safety concerns raised by the college management at a press conference earlier and said, “If the college management is under pressure or threat from any organisation our force will come to their rescue.”

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