Kochi: Three years after a hijab ban in Karnataka college made nationwide headlines and made it to the Supreme Court also, the hijab controversy resurfaced, this time in a Christian school in Kerala.
St Rita’s Public School in Palluruthy, a church-run institution in Ernakulam district, triggered a row after it denied entry to a Class VIII student in a hijab, or head scarf.
According to school authorities, the hijab violated its dress code, hence the girl was made to remove it.
The controversy erupted on Friday when a group of people entered the school, insisting that the student be permitted to wear the hijab.
Rattled by the development, the school announced a two-day holiday to prevent any law and order issues.
The school management approached Kerala High Court, seeking police security.
On Monday, the high court directed police to provide protection to the CBSE-affiliated school in Palluruthy.
According to parents-teacher association (PTA) president Joshy Kaithavalappil, the girl’s parents were informed about the specific school uniform during admission, and they had agreed also. After joining school, the girl followed the dress code until October 6 before the hijab row broke out.
“She joined the school in June this year and followed the dress code — pants and shirt for girls — till October 6. At the time of admission in June, we had clearly mentioned the uniform, and the girl’s parents agreed. Of the 450-odd students, 117 are Muslims. Only one student wants to challenge the uniform, and the PTA is totally against this demand. We suspect the role of extremist elements behind the demand. Those who protested at the school are not local people,” Kaithavalappil told The Indian Express.
A PTA official alleged that the girl’s parents were backed by the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), a pro-Islamist political outfit, whose members misbehaved with school authorities, mostly nuns, reported PTI.
School principal Heleena Alby claimed that this is the first time such an issue has arisen in the school’s 27-year history.
“The school has been functioning since 1998. This is the first time that the school has witnessed such an issue. The parents and a group of people reached the school and created a commotion last Friday. Teachers and students are tense. Hence, we decided to remain closed for two days,” she said.
