Girls protest alleged hijab ban in Srinagar school

A major controversy erupted in Kashmir on Thursday after some female students of Vishwa Bharti Higher Secondary School here alleged that they were denied entry to the institute for wearing an ‘Abaya’.

Abaya is a loose-fitting, full-length robe, worn by Muslim women. The protesting students alleged that the Principal asked them not to enter the premises of the school with ‘Abaya’.

“We are told we should go to a Madrassa (a Muslim educational institute that is often part of a masjid) if we want to wear an Abaya. We were not allowed inside the school,” the students said and alleged the school administration told them they were “ruining the atmosphere of the school” by wearing ‘Abaya.’

As soon the news about the ‘Abaya’ ban spread, it evoked a sharp reaction in Muslim majority Kashmir.

Former Chief Minister and People’s Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti termed it an attack on religious freedom guaranteed by the constitution. “Jammu and Kashmir has become a laboratory for BJP’s plans of changing Gandhi’s India into Godse’s India,” she said.

Referring to the hijab issue in Karnataka last year, Mufti said, “Now we are seeing this happening in Kashmir also, we will never accept this and there will be a strong reaction to this incident. The ban order was an attack on religious freedom which will not be tolerated.”

National Conference chief spokesman Tanvir Sadiq in a Facebook post said: “Wearing a Hijab should be a personal choice, and there should be no interference in matters of religious attire.”

"It is unfortunate to witness such incidents in a Muslim-majority Jammu and Kashmir. The school administration demanding the removal of Hijabs is unacceptable. We strongly oppose this and urge for immediate corrective action,” he added.

Late in the afternoon, the school administration issued a statement saying there was no ban on ‘Abaya’ and the issue had been ‘misrepresented.’

“………… female students have not been directed not to wear Abaya which is totally baseless and misrepresented. The school management always respects the sentiments of all the sections of the society vis-à-vis dress code,” the school principal said in a statement.

“No ban has been imposed on wearing Abaya, but it was politely conveyed to the students to wear school uniform underneath the Abaya,” he said and added in any case if it hurt the sentiments of the students or the parents, they unconditionally apologise for the same.