Bhatkal: A section of students of a Government First Grade College in Bhatkal in Uttara Kannada district have been attending classes wearing saffron shawls in protest against four guest lecturers wearing hijab (headscarf).

This is the latest among a string of cases where students opposed women wearing burkha or the hijab on the premises of educational institutions.

A section of students from B.A and B.Com courses have been attending classes from Monday by wearing the saffron shawl, confirmed Bhageerati Naika, in charge principal of the college.

She said the students are against the four lecturers wearing headscarf while teaching. While one lecturer has been teaching in the college for the last eight years, three others have been here for past five years. Interestingly, the issue had not been raised earlier.

Representation given

“These students seem to be influenced by the protests held in other parts of the State,” Ms. Naika said. They had given a representation few days ago stating their demand. However, Ms. Naika said the conduct of the students will be discussed by principal Manjula K.P., who was presently unwell.

A decision will be taken in the meeting of the college development committee to be called on Saturday by Mankala Subba Vaidya, Bhatkal MLA.

In one of the first such protests in 2009, students of the college had protested against a girl wearing the burkha. “The issue had died down and there were no such incidents subsequently,” Ms. Naika recalled.

Earlier this month, students of a college in Shivamogga protested questioning a section of students attending classes wearing burkha. In August last, following protests, a pharmacy college in Mangaluru had to withdraw its circular barring students from wearing hijab in the classroom.

A few days later, students of Government First Grade College in Bellare near Sullia in Dakshina Kannada attended classes wearing saffron shawls to protest against a lecturer and few girls wearing hijab in classrooms.