Now, school in Madhya Pradesh bans hijab after right wing groups’ protest

The principal of a government college in Datia district of Madhya Pradesh has banned students from wearing the hijab inside the institution after members of right-wing groups staged a protest.

“All the admitted students/girls in the college are informed that they will not be allowed to enter the college in clothes belonging to any particular community or other special dress like hijab etc. All students should enter this temple of education in a decent dress,” principal DR Rahul said in the order.

Rahul released the order on Monday evening after members of a right-wing group staged a protest after spotting two young women students wearing burqa and hijab in the college.

The college does not have a uniform.

“We received information that girl students are coming to college wearing hijab and burqa. When we came here on Monday afternoon, we spotted two students in burqa and hijab. We staged a protest for equality of students,” said Rani Sharma, district convener of Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s Durga Vahini.

“The order was released to bring (uniform) dress code in the college,” Rahul said. “Earlier, students used to come in normal dress but after this (Karnataka) hijab row, a few have started wearing hijab and burqa.”

HT couldn’t independently verify if no students were sporting hijabs or burqas before the controversy erupted in Karnataka.

“There is no confusion about hijab in MP and I request you not to create any confusion about it,” said the state’s home minister Narottam Mishra, a MLA from Datia. “I have asked the district collector to inquire into the matter of the order issued by the principal.”

Last week, a principal of a college in Satna forced a Muslim student to write an apology for wearing burqa and hijab following protests by some students against the dress of the young woman.