A Chikkamagaluru college sparked controversy after expelling two students for wearing Ayyappa mala, prompting outrage from Hindu leaders
Chikkamagaluru
In Chikkamagaluru, a controversy erupted at a private college after two students wearing the Ayyappa Swamy mala were asked to leave the campus. The students, who had worn black attire along with their college uniforms, were told by the administration to remove the mala before entering, following which they were stopped outside the college.
The incident triggered strong reactions from Hindu organisations. Leaders from the Bajrang Dal, BJP District President Devaraj Shetty, and Yuva Morcha President Santosh visited the college and criticised the administration. They questioned why the college objected to the mala while allowing other religious symbols, asking, “When students come wearing burkhas, you stay silent. Why create an issue now?”
College authorities claimed that a new rule had been implemented this year prohibiting the wearing of the mala on campus. However, the Hindu leaders countered that this was not a government directive but an internally imposed decision. They argued that even government officials wear the mala while on duty and insisted that such traditions cannot be restricted without valid reason.
The situation intensified when the activists raised Ayyappa chants inside the principal’s office, expressing their anger. After heated discussions, the college administration eventually agreed to allow the students back into their classes, bringing temporary relief to the tense atmosphere.