A school in Uttar Pradesh’s Barabanki district has barred two Muslim students from wearing a hijab on campus, saying it violated the institute’s uniform code, the family has alleged. The school administration also threatened to rusticate the girls, who are cousins, DNA reported on Friday.
Anand Bhawan School, which is run by a missionary, allegedly told the father of one of the girls to have them admitted to a madrasa or an Islamic school, after he wrote to the management about them trying to dictate how they practice their religion.
“Our Constitution allows each of us to practice our religion freely, and there is no barrier stopping any community from pursuing education based on their faith,” Mohammed Raza Rizvi, the father, told the Hindustan Times. “Even Sikhs are allowed to wear turbans in schools.”
In its response to the father, the school administration said the institute functions according to its rules, not religious beliefs. Barabanki District Magistrate Akhilesh Tewari said he had asked Education Officer PN Singh to investigate the matter, the Hindustan Times report said.
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