Clash in Bengal school over hijab, saffron scarves, exams cancelled

Ongoing examinations at a school in West Bengal's Howrah had to be cancelled following a scuffle between two groups of students over the wearing of hijab and namabali. Ruckus erupted at a school in Howrah's Dhulagarh after members of one group came to school wearing 'namabalis' or saffron scarves to protest against the other group who were allowed to wear hijab inside a classroom. The students also vandalised the school property.

As the situation went out of control, police personnel and the Rapid Action Force (RAF) were immediately called to the spot. The situation prompted the school authorities to cancel the examinations of Class 11 and 12. The management committee of the school chaired a meeting after the incident and it was decided that students will now have to come to school in their school uniforms.

WHAT DID THE STUDENTS SAY?

India Today went to the school and spoke to various students to find out what happened. A student, who was inside the school, told India Today that the ruckus happened after girls wearing hijab objected to a few guys wearing namabali, following which the other group raised objections.

"I study in class 11. A few Hindu students wore nambalis to school and a Muslim girl protested against it. When the girl said that it is not a part of school uniform, then these boys asked why she was wearing a hijab. Students of one community started vandalising the property. When teachers tried to stop them, they were pushed aside and exams have also been postponed," a female student said.

Another student, who studies in Class 8, said, "The entire ruckus happened between students and the school has been closed. Some Muslim girls wore hijab to school and some Hindu boys objected to it, asking them not to wear it during exams. This led to a scuffle and some Hindu boys wore T-shirts with Lord Shiv's graphics on their uniforms in their bid to protest."

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"Muslim girls wore hijab and some Hindu girls asked them to wear normal uniforms, following which a scuffle started. It is hampering our studies. We had our exams," said a class 11 student.

"We have been studying at the school for a long time and it has not happened before . All the parents and guardians were worried. It was extremely wrong that students did this in an educational institution. Is it right? We have to take steps so that such instances do not happen ever," a local, Purnendu Mondal said.

NO PROPERTY VANDALISED, SAYS SCHOOL

Meanwhile, the school authorities said, "On Monday, three students wore a namabali to school and a few female students objected to it. The boys had removed it. We had decided that we would tell the students that no religious would be allowed after the exam. On Tuesday, five boys wore namabali and a ruckus stirred up among students. No property of the school was vandalised by any students."

BJP, TMC SPAR OVER UNIFORM ROW

Supporting the wearing of hijab inside educational institutions, TMC MLA Madan Mitra said, "The rules of the Constitution are not broken when a Sikh man wears a turban instead of a helmet. It is permitted by law and if a girl wears a hijab, then she should not be opposed. And to oppose this, if anyone comes with 'namabali', then there should not be any opposition."

"But the BJP is politicising matters like the wearing of hijab or namabali in West Bengal. A school can tell its students to maintain uniformity, but according to me, if a girl wears a hijab in school, then it should not be opposed. Similarly, if anyone comes wearing namabali, then it should not be opposed if there is no politics involved," the TMC MLA said.

Agnimitra Paul, General Secretary of West Bengal BJP, said, "Every educational institution should follow uniformity regarding the dress code of students. It is according to the court order."

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