Hijab Row: MP Home minister orders probe into college principal’s notice to ban ‘Hijab’ inside premises

Datia/Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh): State Home Minister Narottam Mishra has instructed Datia district collector to conduct a probe into the ‘controversial’ order, banning the wearing of hijab inside the college premises.

The principal of Agrani Government Autonomous PG College on Monday issued the notice, stating that religion specific attire like hijab will not be allowed in the college premises.

Principal DR Rahul’s instructions came after youths from right wing outfits staged a protest, demanding to ban the hijab.

Talking to journalists, home minister Narottam Mishra said, “I have instructed the collector to conduct a probe into the matter as to why the Principal issued this order. I have made clear that the state government has no proposal to ban any religious attire at educational institutes, as of now.”

According to reports, a group of youths reached Agrani Government Autonomous PG College on Monday. When they spotted two girls in Hijab, they staged a protest, demanding a hijab ban inside the college.

Following protest, college principal DR Rahul conducted an inspection and later he issued a notice, banning hijab.

“All students are being informed, don’t enter the college premises wearing religion specific attire like hijab,” the notice stated.

When contacted, DR Rahul said, “I conducted an inspection and found two girls in hijab. Two maintain harmony and law and order situation inside the college premises, I have banned all religious attire.”

The hijab row erupted in Madhya Pradesh, a couple of days back, when state education minister Inder Singh Parmar said that hijab should be banned in educational institutes and the government was coming up with dress code rules.

Parmar, who was reportedly reprimanded by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, had taken U-turn, saying that his statement was taken otherwise.