Moradabad Hindu College scuffle: Here's how decision on burqa triggered row

A row over wearing hijab and burqa hit Uttar Pradesh's Moradabad district on Thursday when a group of Muslims students were denied entry into the college for wearing a burqa. The college contended that the piece of garment was not a part of the official uniform of the college. The women claimed the college blocked their entry and compelled them to remove it at the entrance gate.

A scuffle broke out between the students of the Samajwadi Chatra Sabha and the professors of the college. 

College professor AP Singh, meanwhile, said those who defy college rules as to the uniform wouldn't be allowed to gain entry.

In January 2022, a similar row broke out in a college in Karnataka's Udupi where some college girls were denied entry into the college as they were wearing hijab. 

The matter was then taken up to the Karnataka HIgh Court which dismissed various petitions challenging a ban on Hijab in education institutions and said that wearing a Hijab is not an essential religious practice of Islam.However, when taken to the Supreme Court, the apex body on October 13, 2022 pronounced a split verdict in the Karnataka Hijab ban case. The matter will be heard by a constitutional bench.

Meanwhile, amid the row, the Hindu College has built a changing room at the gate where women can remove their burqa and hijab before entering the college. 

"Students of any religion will be given admission in the college with the prescribed dress code. A girls' changing room has been constructed at the college's gate where the students can remove the burqa before entering," Singh said.

Some social media videos showed a scuffle taking place between the students and the teachers. 

However, the college administration claimed Muslim students had no problem with the decision. 

He said the Muslim girls are now satisfied with the decision and claimed they termed the scuffle wrong.

With inputs from ANI