Kashmir: Students' protest against hijab ban snowballs into big controversy

Kashmir Valley woke up to a new controversy this morning after several female students were seen protesting outside their college in Srinagar. Many female students alleged that they were denied entry into the school premisesfor wearing Hijab.

Also Read | AI 'nuclear weapon of software': WION speaks to DeepAI founder Kevin Baragona

The female students of the Vishwa Bharti Womens College in the Rainawari area of Srinagar were at the centre of the controversy which within no time took a political turn. From political leaders to religious clerics, the controversy snowballed and was condemned by one and all.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

''Why should we take off the abaya? I don't love this school more than my God that I will take off this abaya. I will never take my abaya off, there are so many boys in the college and there is so much immorality going on which is invisible to their eyes and asking us to take off the abaya. Who is she to tell us to take the abaya off? She is asking us if we have to wear an abaya rather than go to a Darsgah (Religious School). Don't the girls who wear abayas get the same education as everyone else?'' said a girl student.

Also Read | Anti-gay protests in Los Angeles after school votes on recognizing June as Pride month

However, the school administration has stated that there has been some miscommunication on the issue as the students were asked to wear the cover as per recommended norms. The school authorities said that the students are wearing multicoloured abaya and this is not as per the uniform of the college.

"Even though the school has its own dress code, and some girls also wear ‘abaya’, they have never been stopped. Yesterday, I informed teachers to ask those students not to wear abayas on the school premises, but they can come in 'abayas' until they reach the school premises in order to maintain decorum. There is no higher authority involved in it but Ibelieve a proper dress code which is being followed shall be followed here as well. We will announce a proper colour and pattern of ‘Abaya’ for all those students who want to come to school wearing the same.We are not allowing colourful Abayas to be followed in the institution,'' said the InCharge principal of the school, Memroz Shafi.

Watch | CNN Chairman and CEO Chris Licht quits

The political leadership in the Kashmir Valley has criticised the move as well. The former chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir said that diktatslike these won't be tolerated.

''They want to change Gandhi's India into Godse's India. Jammu Kashmir has become a laboratory for them, and every experimentation is being done from here. What had started in Karnataka is now being implemented in Kashmir as well. We will not accept this, and it will have severe reactions and repercussions. It's a personal choice to wear what we want, and you cannot force us to change that. They are attacking our religion and our religious leaders, the NIA calling summoning our religious leaders is an example. We won't tolerate all this. They have dispossessed us and now they are attacking our religion,'' said Mehbooba Mufti.

The Grand Mufti of Kashmir Valley Mufti Nasir Ul Islam has said the institution was only for women and has now recently been converted into a co-education institute, so the female students should be allowed to wear a burqa and abaya as their choice to protect their modesty.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.