JKSA Urges Karnataka CM to Address Alleged Religious Discrimination in Nursing College
The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association has urged Karnataka's Chief Minister to take immediate action against alleged religious discrimination faced by Kashmiri female students at a Bengaluru nursing college. The students were reportedly barred from classes and threatened with expulsion for wearing hijabs. The JKSA claims this is a violation of their constitutional rights and highlights the emotional toll such discrimination takes on students from conflict-affected regions. The situation raises significant concerns about the treatment of students in educational institutions across the country.
| Jul 15, 2025, 17:14 IST
Call for Action Against Discrimination
The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) has reached out to Karnataka's Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, urging him to intervene in a reported incident of religious discrimination at a nursing college in Bengaluru. In a letter addressed to the Chief Minister, the JKSA highlighted that Kashmiri female students were barred from attending classes and threatened with expulsion for wearing hijabs or burqas at the Sri Saubhagya Lalita College of Nursing, which is affiliated with Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS).
Claims of Targeted Harassment
According to Nasir Khuehami, the national coordinator of JKSA, the college president entered a classroom and ordered the students wearing hijabs to leave. When questioned, the president allegedly stated, 'This is our college; only our rules apply here,' warning the students that failure to comply would result in their dismissal and confiscation of their records. The association emphasized that no law or university policy prohibits wearing hijabs or burqas in classrooms, deeming such restrictions illegal and discriminatory.
Response to Discriminatory Remarks
Khuehami noted that the administration justified this action by citing objections from other students, claiming that hijabs and veils are not permitted for medical students anywhere in the country. The JKSA condemned these remarks as absurd and rooted in Islamophobic stereotypes, referencing Articles 25, 15, and 21A of the Indian Constitution to highlight the serious violation of constitutional rights. He expressed concern over the emotional and psychological damage inflicted on students from a conflict-affected region, stating that it is both heartbreaking and infuriating for them to endure such humiliation and trauma.