Mangalore: Now, Protest at Canara College over Student on Ayyappa Vratha
Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (DV)
Mangalore, Dec 17: Close on the heels of a protest at Rosa Mystica PU College, Gurpur over the issue of students wearing Ayyappa Vratha, a similar protest erupted at the city's Canara PU College here on Monday December 17.
It is said one of the students, identified as Rakshith has been observing Ayyappa Vratha. He was on leave for a week on account of ill health, and on Monday when he went to submit his leave letter to the class lecturer, he was told to meet the principal.
Principal H Prabha Kamath reportedly told Rakshith to come clean shaven and wear the Ayyappa shawl inside his shirt. Rakshith grew the beard as part of the rituals to be observed during Ayyappa Vratha.
Speaking to Daijiworld, Rakshith said that he went back home after meeting the principal and meet his religious guru to discuss the issue. The guru told him that if he wanted to shave off his beard he must remove the Ayyappa shawl also and that his Vratha would be nullified.
Rakshith and his friends then approached the Sri Rama Sene for help. The activists of the Sene began a protest at the college campus demanding justice to Rakshith.
Meanwhile, principal Prabha Kamath spoke to the media and said that rules of the college were equal to all and every student must follow it. "The rules say that students should come with a clean shave and wear their id cards. Every student must follow it," she said.
Sri Rama Sene leaders Kumar Malemar and others took part in the protest.