Mangalore, April 27: The move of banning burqa in classrooms by St Aloysius College, Mangalore, has reignited the debate of students’ right to exercise religious freedom.
A lecturer of the College told Coastaldigest.com that the ban applies to classrooms and examination halls and not the campus in general. However, the Principal (who is out of station), the Acting Principal, the Rector and Registrar were not available for comment and avoided media persons who wanted to know the stand of the College management on the issue and its interpretation of the ban being prescribed in the College prospectus under the dress code regulations.
A final year degree student of the College, told Coastaldigest.com on condition of anonymity that she was shocked to know that her College has imposed burqa ban in class rooms from the new academic year. “I have been wearing ‘hijab’ in the classroom since day one in the classroom but never experienced any discrimination. The new rules are condemnable”, she said.
Sharing her experience with Coastaldigest.com, Safia Naeem, currently working as lecturer in Mangalore University, said, though the general regulations speak only about ‘burqa’ ban, the College has in fact imposed ban on the Islamic ‘hijab’ (body covered with robes except the hand and face).
“I was called for an interview for the post of Assistant Professor at St. Aloysius College last year. After the prolonged interview I was informed that I had been selected for the post. I was then summoned by the principal Swebert D’Silva, who ordered me to remove my hijab before entering the classroom. He had made it clear that I could not wear head-scarf of any colour.”
“Shocked by his arrogant statement I replied to him in a similar manner and refused the offer. I clarified him that I would not sacrifice my right and by the grace of Allah I got better job within a few days in Mangalore University”, said Ms Safiya.
“The irony is that they allow nuns to wear their sacred robes but impose prohibitions on Muslim girls. Is this not discrimination? Is this not communalism? The missionaries want to impose their rules through such institutions”, she added.
However, Prof. T C Shivashankara Murthy, Vice Chancellor, Mangalore University, said that the St Aloysius College is an autonomous institution and is no longer affiliated to Mangalore University which has not ordered dress codes for students of colleges affiliated to it.
The burqa ban issue is purely an affair that concerns the College in question and the University has nothing to do with it, he said.
“The University has not given any direction to any of its colleges ordering dress codes. Yes, during examination, students are required to show their face to avoid impersonation”, he added.
The controversial general regulations prescribed in the prospectus of St Aloysius College
Comments
Add new comment