The ban imposed on wearing of Abaya (a cloak worn over clothes by Muslim women) by girl students at a school in Srinagar caused outrage with the students protesting the diktat and vowing not to give up wearing Abaya, as stated in a report by The New Indian Express.
The political parties and religious leaders supported the girl students and even BJP opposed any dress code. After the outrage, the school principal apologised and clarified there is no ban on wearing Abaya in the classrooms.
The students of Class XI and XII of Vishwa Bharati Higher Secondary School, Rainawari in Srinagar alleged that the principal has imposed a ban on wearing of Abaya in the school. The girl students and their family members staged a protest outside the school on the morning of June 8, Thursday.
Protesting students opine
"We were told yesterday by school authorities that you should come to school without wearing Abaya and if you wear Abaya, you won't be allowed entry into school premises. The school management told us that since you are wearing Abaya, other students are also getting influenced and they too want to wear it. It seems the management thinks wearing Abaya is wrong and they will allow us entry into school if we wear jeans pants," said a protesting girl student.
"They are telling us that if you want to wear an Abaya, you should have joined Madrasa. The principal is telling us that if you want to be part of the society, you should stop wearing the Abaya," she alleged.
Another protesting girl student said the school is discriminating against them and they are being told that they cannot participate in any activity because of Abaya.
"We will not give up Abaya. It is important for a Muslim woman to wear an Abaya. We will prefer Abaya over continuing education if we have to choose between the two. We can avail education in the Abaya," she said.
Political leaders speak up
The former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, National Conference Chief Spokesman Tanvir Sadiq, BJP General Secretary Ashok Koul and J&K's Grand Mufti Nasirul Islam, all of them unanimously oppose the imposition of a dress code.
Unconditional apology
After the outrage, the school principal, in a statement, said facts have been misrepresented and she tendered an unconditional apology for hurting the sentiments of people. "It is for the information of all students that they can wear the Abaya and no such restrictions have been imposed in the classrooms," the principal said.
