A controversy arose when a Catholic Church-run college in Muvattupuzha, Kerala, refused to provide space on campus for Muslim students to offer namaz, a decision supported by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
On Friday, Father Kannadan Francis, the principal of Nirmala College, received a complaint about a group of Muslim female students using the college’s common room for namaz.
When objections were raised, the Muslim students requested a designated room for namaz, but the college also declined this request.
The situation escalated when other Muslim students joined in, allegedly surrounding Father Francis.
He explained that there is a mosque just 200 meters from the college, where boys are allowed to pray at noon, but the girls claimed they were not permitted to use the mosque.
However, Kevin Peter from the Church’s Auxiliary for Social Actions (CASA) noted that another mosque nearby permitted women to pray.
“We have informed them that the college cannot provide a room for prayers,” Father Francis was quoted saying, noting that the students making the request were not affiliated with any specific student organization.
BJP state president K Surendran labelled the demanding students as “extremist elements” and criticized the INDI Alliance, including the Left and Congress, for supporting the demand.
“Do Muslim-managed colleges provide prayer spaces for students of other religions? If Muslim groups cause trouble in colleges, BJP will offer protection,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), the student wing of the ruling CPI(M), clarified that it stands for secularism and does not support the demand for religious practices on campus.
Many on social media called out the double standards of leftist media like The News Minute which went hammer and tongs over Sabarimala Temple not allowing women of menstrual age to enter the temple. None of them have even care to report on the incident.
“Where are the feminists? They were doing overtime to get into Garbh Griha of Sabrimala temple in the same Kerala, calling Hinduism regressive full of patriarchy. Won’t they fight for these MusIim girls? Won’t they protest against mosques?“, a user asked on social media.
Syro-Malabar Church Slams Students
The Public Affairs Committee (PAC) of the Syro-Malabar Church has labeled the actions taken by some students against Nirmala College in Muvattupuzha, Kerala, as a “serious” issue.
In a statement on Sunday, Bishop Thomas Tharayil, convener of the PAC, expressed concern over what he described as a systematic and deliberate effort against Christian minority institutions. The recent events at Nirmala College are part of a broader religious and communal “invasion” on such institutions, the statement continued. Bishop Tharayil asserted that any attempts to destabilize Christian minority institutions would be met with a strong response.
Nirmala College has a history of maintaining high academic standards, but the recent developments threaten to disrupt its operations and academic activities. A group of students has staged a sit-in outside the Principal’s office, demanding a room for a specific religious group to offer prayers. This demand lacks both legal and moral justification and is intended to create discord on the college campus.
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