Jammu and Kashmir School Asks Staff to Avoid Wearing Hijabs

Since December, the Indian state of Karnataka has been witnessing a huge uproar after several Muslim girl students were not allowed to sit in class wearing hijabs. Even though the state high court upheld the state government's decision to not allow hijabs in the classroom, the matter is being adjudicated by India's supreme court.

A school in Baramulla District of India's Jammu and Kashmir union territory has asked its staff to stop wearing hijabs during school hours.

Dagger Parivaar School, an institute which caters specifically to disabled children, is run by the Indian Army in collaboration with an NGO, which said the disabled students would "feel comfortable and are forthcoming to interact with teachers" if they don't wear hijabs.

Around 70 students are enrolled in the school.

"As the staff of school, the main purpose is to provide the fullest possible development of each learner," the circular issued by the school reads.

"For the same, the trust must be established with the students to make them feel welcome, safe and happy. The staff is hereby instructed to avoid Hijab…"

The move evoked sharp political reactions from prominent Kashmiri leaders.

Speaking with reporters, former Jammu and Kashmir chief Omar Abdullah said, "Hijab is our basic right and nobody should interfere in someone's religious matters."

Another former Jammu and Kashmir state chief, Mehbooba Mufti, said that it is “not like any other state” where they (BJP) bulldoze the houses of minorities.

“I condemn this letter issuing diktats on hijabs. Jammu and Kashmir may be ruled by BJP but its certainly not like any other state where they bulldoze the houses of minorities & not allow them the freedom to dress as they want. Our girls will not give up their right to choose,” Mufti tweeted.

Meanwhile, as the hijab-removing directive also triggered social media users' criticism, an unidentified school official told TV news channel News18 that the officials would recall the circular and issue a new one.

"A teacher has made a typo mistake and turned it into a controversy," the official said. "The school has children of all faiths, and we don't discriminate."

"Let me tell you the circular was not about hijabs but niqabs (veils)," he further added.

A niqab is a further extension of the hijab, also called a ruband, which Muslim women often wear to cover the face.

The hijab row originally erupted in December at the Government PU College in Karnataka’s Udupi district, where six female students claimed that they were not allowed to enter classrooms wearing hijabs.

On 15 March, the Karnataka High Court upheld the ban on the hijab in educational institutes in the state. The court had held that the hijab was not an essential part of Islam and thus could not be protected under the fundamental right to religion.