The State Bank of India’s Nehru Nagar branch in Mumbai pasted a notice on its counter asking visitors to not wear burqas.
A burqa is a garment worn by some Muslim women that covers the entire body. Nehru Nagar in Kurla is a Muslim-dominated locality.
“Burkha, scarf prohibited inside the branch premises,” the notice said.
A resident, Sheikh Sajeed Akbar, told Scroll.in that the notice was pasted a few days ago. “Several of us tweeted this and raised this concern with bank officials,” he added. “We still do not know why such a notice was put up.”
Earlier this week, the bank removed the notice after locals and social media users raised concerns.
In a tweet on November 3, the State Bank of India claimed that the notice was put up “for safety during cash withdrawal and other financial transactions only”. The Nehru Nagar branch, the bank said, “did not have any other intention of keeping the board”.
Scroll.in has contacted the State Bank of India for a comment. This article will be updated if it responds.
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