Four Muslim students from St Joseph Engineering College in Karnataka have been suspended for barging onto the stage in a college event and performing a dance without prior permission donning burqas.

The incident occurred on stage in a college event in Mangaluru. On Thursday, the authorities of SJEC, which is a registered institute under the trust Diocese of Mangalore, Social Action Department took to twitter to condemn such an act by the students that they said could possibly disturb communal harmony.

The videos of these students were viral among the college students and on social media. The college authorities have clarified that these students barged in on the stage during an informal part of the event and began dancing to a Bollywood item song ‘Fevicol se’ without seeking permission to do so.

The college authorities have also warned students that such behavior would amount to indiscipline and would not be accepted. In a series of tweets, the college said that the students had been suspended pending an enquiry.

“The video clip being circulated in social media has captured a part of the dance by students of the Muslim community itself who barged on stage during the informal part of student’s association inaugural…

“It was not part of the approved program and the students involved have been suspended pending enquiry. The college does not support or condone any activities that could harm the harmony between communities and everyone,” the college said on social media.

The incident also spurted a debate on social media with some handles claiming that this was an attempt to instill Islamophobia and that it was some Hindu girls who donned burqas and danced to create chaos. However, the college later clarified that the students were from the Muslim community itself.

In Karnataka, the Hijab controversy was rife last year. It began in Udupi after some college-going girls were denied permission to wear Hijab. The Karnataka High Court and Supreme court subsequently upheld the college uniform code stating that hijab was not essential religious practice. 

Four Muslim students from St Joseph Engineering College in Karnataka have been suspended for barging onto the stage in a college event and performing a dance without prior permission donning burqas.

The video clip being circulated in social media has captured a part of the dance by students of the muslim community itself who barged on stage during the informal part of students association inaugural.
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— St Joseph Engineering College, Mangaluru (@SJEC_Mangaluru) December 8, 2022