Many girl students of the Vishwa Bharti Higher Secondary School in Srinagar staged a protest against the school authority for allegedly not allowing them to wear abayas in school.
Abaya is cloak or a loose outer garment worn by Muslim women. It has been part of Muslim women's attire for centuries. “We are protesting because the school is not allowing us to wear abayas,’’ a student said. “We were told we can wear abayas till the school entrance but not inside. There are many male students, so we cannot come to school without abaya,” she added.
The students said that they were lauded when they topped the exams, but are now being deprived of their rights. They also said that the school authorities started co-education in the school despite it being a girls-only school.
According to reports, the school principal insisted on a 'proper dress code' for students. She later said that the school will announce a colour and pattern for abayas to be worn by students who want to. The principal clarified that the ban was on colourful abayas.
