An inquiry has been ordered by the Government of Madhya Pradesh after a video depicted a group raising 'Jai Sri Rram' slogans upon spotting two girls clad in burqa and hijab while entering a government college in Datia went viral.
After ordering the inquiry, Home Minister Narottam Mishra, who is also the spokesperson of the government, pointed out on February 15 that there was no proposal to ban hijab in Madhya Pradesh.
It was while two girls in hijab and burqa entered the government post-graduate college in Datia that young men were seen raising the slogans in the video clip that has gone viral. This incident happened on February 14, as per a report in PTI. The college had issued an order banning students from wearing religious attire, including hijab.
"Datia is a living example of communal harmony. I have seen the video of Datia PG College. I have directed the district collector to inquire into the order issued by its principal. The state government has already clarified that there is no proposal to ban hijab in Madhya Pradesh and nobody should create confusion on this issue," Mishra, who is MLA from Datia, said in a video statement, as quoted in a report by PTI.
Bajrang Dal activist Ajay Singh Raj said in a statement that it was when the activists paid a surprise visit to the college that they found students wearing hijab and burqa "which is not as per the Constitution". He gave threats to initiate an agitation against the management of the college while sharing that if girls continue to wear burqa and hijab, they will wear the 'bhagwa' (saffron) uniform.
Congress MLA from Bhopal (Central) Arif Masood thanked the home minister for initiating the inquiry and infomed that since the government had issued a clarification that there is no proposal to ban the hijab on campus, the educational institutions in the state should not be confused.
The MLA requested people to not spread fake news and since examinations are underway, appealed to educational institutions to protect the students.