Hijab row in MP: Datia govt college bans headscarf on campus

Another controversy related to use of hijab (headscarf) by girl students emerged in Madhya Pradesh in Datia, the home town of state home minister Narottam Mishra.

On Monday, following objections and heckling by Bajrang Dal and Durga Vahini members, the principal of the local government PG college issued an order banning use of hijab on campus. However, on Tuesday, home minister Mishra reiterated that no proposal on banning hijab was under consideration and asked the district collector to take cognisance of the incident, the video of which has gone viral.

A video of the Datia College where some young men and women with saffron scarves, allegedly members of rightwing outfits Bajrang Dal and Durga Vahini are seen calling out at two hijab and burqa wearing girls and shouting the slogans of ‘Jai Jai Sri Ram’. Another video shows these members staging a dharna at the college saying that the hijab was banned on campuses and if girls wore it to college, then other students would wear saffron scarves too.

Following the commotion, the principal of the college came out with the order, asking students not to wear any special clothing ‘like hijab’ distinctive of any community. “All students should come attired in decent and civilised dresses,” the order added.

As the videos and the order caused a controversy with many Muslim community members taking umbrage to the heckling of the girls and the college order, the home minister came out to clarify on Tuesday.

“Our Datia is a living example of communal harmony. I have seen the video that is viral on social media. I have directed the district collector to take immediate cognisance as to how, why and under what circumstances the principal of the college issued such an order. The state government has made it clear earlier too that no proposal of ban on hijab is under consideration in the state. So, I urge everyone not to spread any misconceptions nor take any misleading actions,” Mishra said in a video statement.