After Karnataka Hijab Row, Jaipur Students Barred From Entering College in Burqa

Students said that they were stopped by the administration of Kasturi Devi College in Chaksu, for wearing a burqa.

Students of Kasturi Devi College in Chaksu were barred from entering college in a burqa.

(Photo: PTI)

Following Udupi’s hijab controversy, students wearing the headscarf were stopped from entering a college in Jaipur, The Indian Express reported.

Students said that they were stopped by the administration of Kasturi Devi College in Chaksu, near Jaipur, for wearing a burqa and coming to college.

After this incident, students and their relatives demonstrated at the college on Friday. Speaking about the incident, a final year BA student told the newspaper that she had never been stopped from wearing a burqa before. “But today morning, the college administration stopped me and some other girls saying we can’t enter the college in burqa. We were told to exit the college premises,” she said.

"We were wearing burqa over our uniforms. Some of us started crying after we were not allowed to enter the college. Some locals who saw us in distress, came to ask the administration about the issue. Soon, police also arrived and the issue was sorted out."

A student of the college.

Administration’s Stance

The college administration claimed that the students had come to college in a burqa for the first time. This was refuted by students who said that they have always been wearing it to college. In a video that was circulated on social media, the students and their relatives are seen arguing with the school administration.

Rajendra Sharma, director of the college, said that the college has a uniform; salwar for girls and shirts and pants for boys. He added that 5-10 girls came to college in burqas. He said that the previous day a few of them had worn burqas and were given a warning.

“Some of the girls began coming to the college in burqas for the last three to four days. Seeing them, some other students too came to the college without uniform on Thursday,” said Assistant Director Sumit Sharma, as reported by PTI.

“They also alleged that we were not allowing hijab. It is wrong. Some students often attend classes wearing hijab but with the uniform. We never had an objection to the hijab but wearing a burqa instead of the uniform is a totally different thing.”

Sumit Sharma, Assistant Director of the college

Police Intervention

The police intervened in the matter. “Ten to 12 Muslim girls of BA first and second year reached the college wearing burqas and the college administration did not allow them to enter the college after which their family reached the college and protested,” said sub-inspector Jitendra from the Chaksu police station.

The row started in December 2021, six Muslim students from Udupi's Government Pre-University College for Girls were stopped from entering class.

(With inputs from The Indian Express and PTI.)