'Why Was My 10-Yr-Old Daughter Made To Remove Her Headscarf in a Delhi School?'

Adeba is studying at Government Girls Senior Secondary School No.2 in Delhi's Tukhmirpur 

(Image altered by The Quint/Deeksha Malhotra)

Video Producer: Maaz Hasan
Video Editor: Purnendu Pritam

On Monday, 21 February, my daughter, Adeba Gauri, came from school with tears rolling down her cheeks. Something that made us feel absolutely uneasy. Upon asking she told,

"Teacher told me not to come to the class wearing this or scarf else she will send me out of the class. She said, "Don't be like your mother, and don't come to school wearing the scarf." There were two-three other girls who were asked to remove their headscarves as well."

Adeba Gauri

As parents, we were completely shocked by the action taken by the teacher. She was made to remove her headscarf in front of the whole class!

She further told me that it wasn't just her, there were two-three other girls in the school who were asked to remove their headscarves.

I am yet to understand why they did that to her. One can't imagine the amount of harm this has done to my child's confidence. She is just a 10-year-old studying in Class VI.

If there was any problem then they should have spoken to us and as parents, we could have talked the way out.

So, the very next day, I went to the school to meet the principal of the Government Girls Senior Secondary School No. 2, which is in northeast Delhi's Tukhmirpur with a written complaint.

My letter wasn't accepted by the principal. I asked her to give a receiving acknowledgment but she refused to do that. So, to put this on record, I took out my phone to record the conversation but they took away my phone. They told me that they will file a police complaint against me for recording a video of a woman and a gazetted officer.

I even asked her on which basis my daughter was asked to remove her headscarf and if there is a directive by the Delhi government which says girls can't wear headscarves.

I was told that the scarf is allowed outside the school premises but not inside. They didn't show anything of that sort to me and I was sent out.

This incident is very traumatising for my child. I want the government to step in and take appropriate action in the matter so that my daughter can go back to school with her headscarf.

The Quint has tried reaching to the school for a response. The story would be updated once a response is received.

Later, on 24 Febraury, addressing to a press conference, Manish Sisodia, Delhi's Education Minister, said, "In our schools, students of all religions and caste are treated with dignity. There are no restrictions from our side and their traditions are respected.

"I also enquired that how this incident happened but so far I don't think there is a problem...our school system and education department has not imposed any restrictions in this regard," he added.

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