A meeting of the members of the college development committee and the parent teachers’ association on Saturday remained inconclusive on the issue of boys wearing saffron shawls to protest against girls wearing hijab at a government college near Bellare.
Some undergraduate and postgraduate students of Dr. Shivaram Karanth Government First Grade College, Peruvaje, in Sullia taluk of Dakshina Kannada have been coming to college since August 29 sporting saffron shawls.
The students want the college to bar a lecturer and some 30 girls from wearing a hijab on the campus.
Despite the Principal’s advice and other staff members, students have been continuing to wear saffron shawl in the campus. Photographs of the students’ protest were also circulated on several WhatsApp groups.
S. Angara, Sullia MLA, chaired the meeting held on the college campus on Saturday. A holiday had been given to students to avoid a possible commotion during the meeting.
While some parents reportedly supported the conduct of protesting students, others expressed unhappiness over the demand.
Principal Kantamangala said that there was nothing wrong in them wearing hijabs.
Mr. Angara left it to the principal and the staff members to resolve the issue. He asked the Principal to convene a meeting of lecturers and protesting students on Tuesday and resolve the issue.
