MP Hijab Controversy: Head covers not mandatory part of school uniform, orders Damoh collector after viral poster featuring Hindu girls in hijab sparks controversy

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): After a Damoh-based school poster sparked a Hijab Vs Scarf controversy, the district collector ordered that such head covers are not mandatory part of the uniform and will be upto students to wear it or not.

"Scarf or Hijab is not a mandatory part of the school uniform. Students are free to decide if they want to wear it or not and no teacher can force them to," he said.

It is also instructed that an Urdu prayer ‘Lab Pe Ati Hai Dua’ will not be during the morning assembly and only national anthem ‘Jan Gan Man’ will be recited.

The statement of school management official Idrish Mohammad also came to light in which the school had apologized for the poster, if it had hurt the sentiment of the people.

Notably, on May 31, Damoh-based Ganga Jamuna's school poster went viral, as it featured some Hindu girls doning 'Hijab'. While some right-wing activists claimed it to be a Hijab, the school administration called it 'scarf'-- a part of uniform.

The poster shook the political circles, and CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan & home minister Narottam Mishra had to step in. The CM ordered a probe in the matter.

Speaking to media, the CM said that no school can force a girl to wear something opposing their culture. "I have ordered a probe. Action will be taken after the probe on the basis of evidence," he said.

The collector has also added that the committee has been formed into the incident and the inquiry is underway.