Students at Bhatkal turn saffron in protest
KARWAR, Nov 9 (Express Buzz): It seems as if controversy over the burkha refuses to go away from Karnataka’s coastal areas.
While colleges in Mangalore and Bantwal grappled with similar problems, this time some students at the Government College at Bhatkal who objected to the right of fellow students to attend colleges in the burkha.
The row which started a week back, remains unresolved despite the intervention of JD Naik, Bhatkal MLA, and the president of the betterment committee.
Some students, who objected to some girls wearing a burkha to college, have been demanding the introduction of a uniform dress code. The college betterment committee, which held a meeting a few days ago, resolved to maintain status quo till the principal seeks a clarification from the Commissioner of Collegiate Education.
The committee had warned of action against students who tried to create disturbance.
A few students have been attending the college wearing saffron clothes with vermilion on their foreheads since Friday.
Some girls too attended the college wearing saffron colour veils on Saturday. “Why should we not do so when a few students were allowed to attend the college wearing burkha?” some said.
Naik told Express that guidelines have been sought from the government. Reacting to the students attending college in saffron clothes, he said he has asked the principal to take action.
Meanwhile, principal RI Khan said that the controversy would be resolved by Monday.