Enraged by the denial of entry to hijab-clad students, hundreds of youth, both boys and girls, staged a protest demonstration outside Saraladevi Government First Grade Degree College in Ballari on Thursday.
As and when the hijab-clad students arrived in college, the authorities stopped and asked them to take off their hijab and go to their classrooms. Some of the students agreed and took off their hijab to gain entry, while others refused to do so. As the number of hijab-clad students grew outside the college, several organisations and parents rushed to the spot to take the issue to a form of formal protest.
Several youths were found raising slogans against the principal and the government in asserting their right to choice of dress. When the police and college authorities tried to convince the agitators of the need to follow the High Court order, the protesters demanded a copy of it.
Some of the protesters even picked up arguments with the police. The initial attempt by the police to calm down the protesters went in vain leading to a chaotic situation for a few hours.
As the police decided to detain the agitating people to keep the situation under control, some of the Muslim community leaders and lawyers intervened and convinced the agitators to take up a legal battle instead of creating a law and order problem outside the college.
“Many students with hijab had come to college to write internal tests and nearly 60 of them took off their hijab upon our request and entered the college premises. Around 20 students could not write the papers and we will make alternative arrangement for them,” Hemanna, principal of the college, told mediapersons after the protest was withdrawn.
