Karnataka : A girl wearing a hijab stood alone at the front against a crowd of youths wearing saffron garlands.

Hindu-Muslim student groups in Karnataka’s colleges are at loggerheads over the issue of hijab and saffron scarves. Amid heightened communal tension, protests in Karnataka’s Mandya became more sensitive when a burqa-clad Muslim girl student was molested. In front of this girl student in college, a large group of boys wearing saffron pattas raised slogans and made comments. This incident is from Pre-University College, Manda. In the video that surfaced, both the sides are seen face to face.

In the video, a young college girl parked her scooter and headed towards the college building, when a group of boys wearing saffron pattas marched towards the burqa-clad girl, shouting “Jai Shri Ram”. The Muslim girl also raised slogans of “Allah Hu Akbar” in response. After this the girl runs towards the class screaming and a group of boys is seen following her. Meanwhile, the college staff is seen stopping the boys and taking the girl along.

Courtesy of NDTV India

Earlier, after demanding the right to wear hijab in colleges in Karnataka, a right-wing group from the state was seen on camera giving saffron scarves to students on their way to college in Udupi district. In protest against wearing hijab in colleges, saffron dupatta is being protested. NDTV news channel has confirmed a member of Hindu Jagran Vedika in this matter. He was seen asking students to carry saffron scarves in their bags at SV College in Kundapur taluk. State Home Minister Arg Jainendra had said that neither hijab nor saffron dupatta should be worn in college classes.

In December last year, 6 girl students at a college in Udupi were refused to attend classes for wearing hijab, after which the whole controversy started. The controversy that started in one college also reached other colleges where girls wearing hijab were not given admission in the college. The controversy flared up when another group of students started coming to the college wearing saffron scarves and shouting ‘Jai Shri Ram’.