Two students from Kundapura college approach HC

Two students from Bhandarkar’s College in Kundapura have moved a petition in the High Court to consider the wearing of the hijab (headscarf) as a fundamental right.

BBA students from Bhandarkar’s College, Suha Maulana and Aisha Aleefa in their petition in High Court, named Kundapura MLA Halady Srinivas Shetty, college principal and Mangalore university registrar as defendants.

The students said in their petition that the college had stopped them from wearing hijab inside the classrooms following instructions from the MLA, who is also president of the college development committee.

The girl students in their petition said that there was no restriction on wearing of hijab when they had sought admission in the college.

Following a government order prohibiting hijabs inside classrooms, restrictions were imposed all of a sudden on February 3, the students had argued in the petition.

When the parents confronted the principal, the latter informed them that the decision was made by the MLA.

Suha Maulana and Aisha Aleefa both were represented by their mothers Beebi Sara and Rahamath in the petition respectively, sources told DH.