PUDUCHERRY: After Karnataka, a controversy has raked up in Puducherry after a government school headmaster allegedly asked a Muslim student not to wear hijab and burqa in school.
A joint delegation of political and social activists today petitioned the Director of Education P T Rudra Goud in this regard seeking action against the incident. At the same time, they have demanded a ban on RSS activities in the courtyard of a government school, following a video going viral.
The girl is a student of 9th standard in Government High School in Ariyankuppam, who has been coming to school wearing the hijab and burqa, according to her father Iqbal Basha.
She would remove the burqa once she reaches her school and attend classes wearing hijab, he told TNIE. But this was objected to by the school headmaster, after the school reopened on Feb 4, he said. Though she has been wearing the hijab from first standard while studying in the same school, the objection has been raised a few months back.
Basha who is also the Organiser (South) of the SDPI party in Puducherry asked the Headmistress to give her objections in writing, but she refused and directed him to meet the higher authorities in the education department. Following this, he approached political and social activists, who took up the matter with the authorities of Education department.
One of the petitioners Gayathri Srikanth, a member of DMK’s women wing said how could a Muslim student be disallowed from wearing a hijab in school. In all colleges and Universities, Muslim students have been permitted to wear it.
“The matter has just been brought to my knowledge and I have asked the Chief Education officer to inquire and give a report”, Rudra Goud told TNIE.
He clarified that no orders have been issued banning students from wearing hijab in school.
However with regard to the complaint, reports have been reaching him that this student suddenly started coming to school wearing burqa, which was objected by the Headmaster of the school, he said. However, a detailed report is awaited.
Following the incident, he said that the Education department will formulate guidelines on dress code for schools and after government approval will direct all students to follow it, said Goud.
“Now someone is coming wearing Burqa, tomorrow some other student may come wearing saffron robes or shawls l“, he said citing Karnataka and hence a dress code guidelines will be issued for everyone. Puducherry government is providing the school uniform and in addition to that the few things that would be permitted, he said.
On the other hand, a video showing some physical training to school students in the courtyard of a government school in Sompet in Mannadipet Commune with students shouting “Jai kali”, “Bharat Mata ki jai” has gone viral. The petitioners have raised objections to the use of the school ground, allegedly for RSS activities and sought a ban on it.
The Education Department has not given any permission to anyone for conducting any physical training or yoga activities, said Rudra Goud. Most primary schools do not have a watchman and it is difficult to control the use of the open courtyard after school, he added. If someone applies for permission, it will be examined and accordingly decided, said Goud.
The political and social activists have faulted the NDA government in Puducherry for such activities.