Hijab row now erupts in MP's Satna

Bhopal, Feb 13 (IANS) The hijab controversy that erupted in a pre-university college in Karnataka has now hit a college in Madhya Pradesh.

As per official information, the fresh controversy over wearing hijab-burqa erupted at an Autonomous PG College in Madhya Pradesh's Satna district on Saturday after an M.Com student Rukshana Khan arrived at the college wearing hijab to appear in the exam.

In the mean time, students from other groups, including some associated with Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), students wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), opposed the woman wearing hijab-burqa during the examination.

Sensing that the matter could snowball into a major controversy, the college's principal-in-charge, Shivesh Pratap Singh swung into action. He not only advised Rukshana Khan not to wear hijab again in the college, but also took a written undertaking from her that she will wear only college uniform like other students in future.

"All the students are strictly told that they will be allowed only in proper uniform and face masks in the college examination. But she (Rukshana Khan) arrived wearing hijab-burqa. She has given a written undertaking that she will come in the college only in uniform," Shivesh Pratap Singh said.

The political controversy over hijab in Madhya Pradesh had erupted after School Education Minister Inder Singh Paramar supported banning of hijab in schools and also announced that new dress code will be strictly enforced from the next academic year.

Some Congress leaders who belonged to Muslim community opposed the minister's remarks and said that they would oppose MP government's proposal to ban hijab-burqa.

On Friday, Bhopal Qazi Syed Mushtaq Ali Nadvi before namaz (prayer) made an appeal to Muslim women to wear hijab-burqa. Qazi said that he is making this appeal because women have stopped wearing hijab-burqa and asked other clerics to make a similar appeal from the mosques.

However, later Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra said that the state government has no proposal to ban hijab-burqa in educational institutions in the state.