Row over dress code in this Haveri college dates back to 2016

HAVERI: The raging controversy over the right of a section of Muslim students to don the hijab, which subsequently resulted in members of Hindu students sporting saffron shawls, may have turned into a state-wide row this year, but the issue had triggered a dispute at a Haveri college as far back as 2016.
In the wake of the management of a few colleges mandating a uniform dress code, girls from the Muslim community sought to wear the hijab in the classroom.Consequently, the administrators of the BR Tambakad Degree College in Hirekerur decided to exempt these students from having to follow the dress code. Irked by this decision, students belonging to the Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishat (ABVP) had demanded that the college management ensure uniformity on campus.
After the row petered out of its own accord, the controversy erupted again at the college when ABVP activists reiterated their demand to ban the hijab on campus in 2017. The management was forced to seek police intervention to contain the situation. During the protest by ABVP activists, police had to resort to mild lathi charge when a heated debate with the agitators threatened to escalate.
Stakeholders, meanwhile, pointed out that Muslim girls appear to be the ones caught in the political crossfire. They pointed out that the girls were unlikely to be permitted to attend college without donning the hijab. Those opposing these girls needed to understand that the ongoing controversy would prevent the girls from pursuing higher education.
A few Muslim girls studying at the college said that they wore the burqa over the college uniform. Furthermore, they said that they were unafraid of facing any action the college may initiate for their failure to comply with the dress code. Muslim students at the Bellada Government First Grade College in Akki Alur echoed similar views.
Principal of BR Tambakada College in Hirekerur said that they had convinced parents on the need to abide by the dress code. “There is no problem at the college now and all students are attending classes without fear,” he added.