NG Acharya and DK Marathe College in Mumbai’s Chembur is likely to cancel its decision to ban burqa and hijab in junior college after the students’ concern snowballed into a controversy, sources told News18.
The college had said that it had uniforms compulsory for junior college students, and informed the parents about the decision in May, giving them enough time to get the uniforms stitched.
A senior police officer told News18 that dozens of students, who turned up without wearing the uniform, were stopped from entering the college. “This has got nothing to do with hijab or burqa. There is no police complaint in the matter till now.”
Some students studying in Class 12 at Acharya and Marathe college in Chembur claimed on Tuesday that they weren’t even allowed to enter the college and access the washroom where they would have changed into their uniforms. Announcements were made on the public announcement systems for the last two days about the uniform.
A Class 12 girl student told News18, “How can we come without our hijab, or a dupatta? We can’t show our heads in public. It is against our religion.”
The principal of the college defended the decision of making the uniforms compulsory in May. “A meeting was held with all the parents. They were informed about it. Junior college still comes under secondary education. It isn’t college. We wanted the students to not feel superior or inferior due to their clothing. So, this suggestion was implemented. Students were given several months to buy two sets of uniforms. There is no discrimination in this,” said Vidyagauri Lele, principal of Acharya and Marathe college.
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