On 2nd December, an official in Bihar said the school principal of a government school received death threats after girl students were asked to remove hijabs inside classrooms. In a written complaint, the principal of Utkramit Madhya Vidyalaya in district Sheikpura said the family members of girl students threatened to behead those who did not pay heed to their demands.
The District Education Officer Om Prakash Singh said that the principal of the government school sent a written complaint stating that Islamists stormed the school on 29th November. They threatened the principal with consequences as the school administration asked the female students to remove hijabs inside classrooms.
Singh said, “They were livid at the teaching staff asking the girls to take off headscarves inside classrooms. They told the principal they would not allow the school to run if their girls did not follow their customs.” He added that the principal said in the complaint that the Islamists threatened to behead those who did not pay heed to their demand.
DEO added, “The matter is being probed at the departmental level. The Block Education Officer has been asked to visit the school, conduct an inquiry and submit a report. Wearing any veil inside classrooms is not allowed. If enforcement of the rule leads to security concerns, we will be taking recourse to legal remedies.”
Karnataka hijab row
The sub-judice matter of the Karnataka hijab row of late 2021 created a nationwide controversy. The Udupi Hijab dispute in Karnataka arose in late 2021, which concerned Muslim female students in the state who wanted to wear hijabs as part of their school uniforms, which led to major protests and legal battles as well as spread to other parts of the country.
The debate started in January 2022 when an Udupi college turned away a number of Muslim students who were wearing hijabs to class. There were countless images on social media depicting college administrators forbidding students who donned the head covers from entering their campuses. Afterwards, the college administration contended that the hijab was not included in the uniform dress code that the students had been instructed to follow.
The administration had requested that female students forgo the hijab during their time in college in accordance with the new state regulations. Eight female students consistently disobeyed the rule and claimed it inhibited them from practising their faith.
