The continuing debate in Karnataka over Muslim students' ability to wear hijab erupted last Tuesday when video emerged of a Muslim female wearing a burqa being heckled by a huge group of lads wearing saffron shawls at a college in Mandya. The girl was seen standing her ground and shouted 'Allahu Akbar' while the boys on the other end sang 'Jai Shri Ram.' Shybu KP, who teaches English to pupils in the 11th and 12th grades at the Government Higher Secondary School (GHSS) in Edappally, Kerala, is apprehensive, despite being nearly 400 kilometers distant from that pre-university campus in Mandya. He expressed his concern over religious tensions rising in schools and institutions in the neighbouring state.
“What’s happening in Karnataka is condemnable. By not allowing them (Muslim girl students) to enter schools, they are being subjected to a lot of trauma. The issue (over hijab) should have been solved through amicable discussions between parents, teachers and students,” said Shybu.
He recalled an incident at a former school where a similar outburst over religious garb was quelled before it could turn into something major by school officials. “One day, a Muslim boy came to class wearing a skull cap. He was from an orphanage and quite obstinate about wearing it. Since it was the time of the Sabarimala annual pilgrimage, a few Hindu boys said they, too, wanted to come to class wearing black attire in keeping with the 41-day vow they take. Immediately, we realised that this could descend into major trouble. We told both sides that school was not a place to display their religious identity,” he said.
“Whatever freedoms our Constitution promises, they must be followed. That’s the priority. At the same time, religious manifestations must not be allowed at our schools. It’s dangerous. If something is being deliberately done (to provoke), it must be stopped,” Shybu added.
He cited the Kerala government's severe prohibition on the exhibition of any kind of religious identity or sign during the induction of student police cadets as an example. “But there was a section of people that criticised it. School is where everything begins and where we respect each other and be tolerant of each other’s beliefs. (If such religious strife continues), we have to worry about what kind of citizens they turn into.”
There are no laws prohibiting religious garb such as the hijab or burqa at GHSS Edappally, one of the largest government schools in Kerala's Ernakulam district. Students in all grades follow the norms of the education department and wear a uniform specified by the local parent-teacher organisation. It assists instructors and school officials in identifying kids and obtaining bus fare discounts for the latter. A total of 720 pupils attends the school's 11th and 12th grades, with roughly 150 belonging to the Muslim minority. Girls make up more than half of the group.
Most Muslim girls at the school, according to Hana Fathima Ashraf, a 12th-grade student, wear a basic 'thattam' or 'veil' that covers their heads. Few women wear a hijab to class, and even fewer wear a burqa. “There are even those who don’t even wear a ‘thattam’. “It’s their wish what they want to wear. Every Muslim family may have their own customs and traditions,” she said.
Reacting to the developments in Karnataka, Hana said, “I don’t think hijab should be banned. It’s connected to someone’s beliefs, why do you want to ban it? What’s happening in Karnataka is wrong. Many of my friends here have shared posts on social media condemning it.”
Her batchmate Afni Fathima, who wears a ‘thattam’ to classes, said she has never faced any issues from her friends or school officials over the attire. “They understand our beliefs and customs,” she said.
Religious garb has never been a point of contention at PTA meetings, according to Sankaranarayanan, principal of the school's higher secondary division, because everyone respects one other's views and sentiments. “Ideally, we should not impose anything on anyone. There may be sentiments attached to someone’s religious identity. The idea is to be inclusive and welcome everyone. Isn’t that what India stands for?” he said.
According to Sankaranarayanan, while the government has promoted the use of uniforms in schools, it has not made them necessary. “The government understands that a lot of people are going through financial distress right now and it’s not right to impose anything on them. When we give orders to retailers, we ask them to apply discounts and give us extra uniforms for kids who cannot afford it. That’s how we do it,” he said.