J-K Students Association writes to Siddaramaiah over hijab ban on Kashmiri girl students in Karnataka nursing college, seeks intervention

India Gazette

2 days ago

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], July 15 (ANI): The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) on Tuesday wrote to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, seeking his immediate intervention in an incident of alleged religious discrimination faced by Kashmiri female students at a nursing college in Bengaluru.
The students, who wear the hijab or burkha in accordance with their religious beliefs, have reportedly been barred from attending classes and threatened with expulsion by the management of Sri Soubhagya Lalitha College of Nursing, affiliated with the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS).
In its letter, the Association expressed deep anguish over the harassment and humiliation allegedly inflicted upon the students, who were denied entry into classrooms and practical sessions for the past several days.
'These Kashmiri female students have been systematically targeted, humiliated, and denied their fundamental right to education solely because they choose to wear the burkha or abaya, an expression of modesty, dignity, and identity rooted deeply in their religious and personal beliefs,' the letter stated.
National Convenor of the Association, Nasir Khuehami, said that a disturbing incident occurred in which the college chairman stormed into a classroom and ordered hijab-wearing students to leave immediately. When the students asked for clarification based on this directive, they were reportedly told, 'This is our college; only our rules apply.'
The chairman and principal allegedly threatened to terminate the students and withhold their academic records if they continued to wear their religious attire. The students were warned that they would not be permitted inside the college unless they removed their hijabs, despite no official or legal policy existing to support such a ban.
'They were told to follow so-called university rules, which prohibit hijab and burkha, though no such official regulation exists under Indian law,' he said.
Further compounding the matter, the college administration allegedly justified the ban by claiming that other students had objected to the presence of hijab-wearing students.
The chairman is also reported to have stated that 'hijab and pardah are not allowed for medical students anywhere in the country, not even in Kashmir,' and added, 'no article or fundamental right is applicable in our college.'
Calling these justifications 'absurd, Islamophobic stereotypes,' Khuehami condemned the use of such discriminatory practices and language, noting that this is a 'direct and dangerous violation of the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution of India.'
The letter cites Articles 25 (freedom of religion), 15 (prohibition of discrimination), and 21A (right to education), stating that forcing students to choose between their faith and education is both 'unconscionable' and 'unconstitutional.'
Highlighting the psychological and emotional toll on the affected students, He said that, 'It is heartbreaking and enraging in equal measure that students from a conflict-affected region, who left their homes and came to Karnataka in pursuit of higher education and opportunity, are now being subjected to such humiliation and trauma.'
The association stressed that the implications of this incident stretch beyond the four students directly affected, warning that it sends 'a chilling message to every girl from a minority background that her religious identity makes her unwelcome in educational spaces.'
The association called upon Karnataka's progressive legacy of pluralism, referencing the reformist tradition of Basavanna, the leadership of Devaraj Urs, and the inclusive vision of poet Kuvempu. 'This incident, if left unaddressed, risks undermining that very legacy. It threatens to turn institutions of learning into spaces of exclusion, intolerance, and fear,' the letter warned.
The letter further pointed out that hundreds of Kashmiri students are enrolled in colleges across Karnataka and have chosen the state for its academic excellence, cultural tolerance, and safety. It said that such incidents not only traumatise individual students but also shake the trust of the entire student community.
The association demanded that the Chief Minister take swift and decisive action. 'These young women must be allowed to resume their education without any coercion to compromise their religious beliefs. The concerned authorities, including the Education Department, RGUHS, and the Minority Commission, must be directed to conduct a thorough investigation, hold those responsible accountable, and issue clear instructions to all educational institutions that such discrimination is unconstitutional and unacceptable,' Khuehami added.
The association emphasised that this was an opportunity for Karnataka to reaffirm its values of justice and inclusivity. 'At a time when our national discourse is increasingly polarised, Karnataka has the opportunity to rise above narrowness and reaffirm the principles on which this country was built: liberty, dignity, fraternity, and justice,' it said. 'The students of this state, whether from Bengaluru or Baramulla, must feel safe, valued, and protected.'
The association Urged Chief Minister to direct the Education Minister, RGUHS, and the Minority Commission to investigate the matter urgently and ensure that the students are allowed to attend classes immediately without the condition of removing their religious attire. The association also called for strict disciplinary action against the college officials found guilty of violating the students' rights. (ANI)