The controversy over a section of students coming to class wearing burkha escalated at Sahyadri Arts and Commerce College and Sahyadri Science College — unit colleges of Kuvempu University in the city — on Friday, with noisy protests and cancellation of classes.
The protesters claimed that wearing burkha was in violation of the “dress code” prescribed by the university earlier in the year. University authorities, meanwhile, said there was no uniform rule and students could choose what to wear.
A few students had staged a protest on campus on Thursday over wearing of burkha. When the college management had prescribed uniform, attending classes wearing burkha was in violation of dress code, they said. Later, Kuvempu University had announced that uniform was not mandatory at its unit colleges.
The students gathered at the campus in large numbers on Friday and protested against the university withdrawing the rules. Protesters said at the commencement of the academic year, the management had issued direction to abide by rules related to uniform. Instead of strict enforcement of the rules, the management had withdrawn it, the protesters said.
The protesters said if the girls are allowed to attend classes wearing burkha, they would come to the college wearing saffron shawls. There were chaotic scenes on campus with protesting students wearing saffron shawls and dancing and raising slogans.
Meanwhile, a delegation of girl students also met Gowdar Shivannanavar and G. Shakunthala, principals of Sahyadri Arts and Commerce College and Sahyadri Science College, and requested that they be allowed to attend college wearing burkha as it was part of their tradition. Members of the delegation also expressed apprehension over their safety.
Police personnel were deployed in large numbers on the campus to maintain peace. Superintendent of Police Abhinav Khare and Additional Superintendent of Police Vincet Shanthakumar also held a meeting with the staff. Owing to the chaos, classes were called off at both the colleges on Saturday and Monday. Jogan Shankar, Vice Chancellor of Kuvempu University, told The Hindu that the meeting will be held with the students, parents and members of civil society organisations to evolve an amicable solution to the problem.
