Hijab row at Kerala school: Parent agrees to follow dress code to avoid communal tension

Kochi: The controversy over St Rita’s Public School in Ernakulam’s Palluruthy denying a student permission to wear a hijab has been resolved following a meeting between the management and the girl’s father on Tuesday. 

The meeting, held at the school in the presence of Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden, District Congress Committee president Mohammed Shiyas, and other officials, brought both sides to an understanding. 

Following discussions, the girl’s father, PM Anas, who had earlier lodged a complaint with the chief minister and education department, agreed to abide by the school’s uniform policy. His daughter is willing to continue her studies at the school, adhering to the dress code prescribed by the management. 

“Certain groups are trying to create a communal divide using the issue. The student’s father, Anas, has come forward agreeing that his daughter will continue studying in the school by abiding by the institution’s dress code. This is a message upholding secularism in our society. Legal action will be taken against those attempting to communalise the issue on social media,” Eden said after the meeting. 

Anas told Onmanorama that he decided to accept the school’s rules to prevent the matter from being exploited by external elements. “Some people are trying to create communal tension over this issue. I do not want that to happen in my daughter’s name. So I agreed to follow the rules and my daughter will obey them,” he said. 

Meanwhile, the district education department said that while their probe into the incident had begun, further proceedings might not be required as the parent has chosen to comply with the rules. 

“As per the rule, the school has to permit the girl wearing hijab in the classroom. But it has been reported that the parent has now agreed not to move forward with a complaint. If there’s no complaint, what are we supposed to do?” an education department official said. 

The issue came to light after Anas, the father of a Class 8 student, alleged that the school barred his daughter from entering the classroom for wearing a headscarf along with the school uniform. He claimed the girl was made to stand outside and ridiculed by her teachers for refusing to remove it. 

The school management maintained that the headscarf was not part of the prescribed uniform, a rule clearly mentioned in the student diary provided to parents at admission. The management also alleged that Anas and others, including SDPI members, had created a disturbance on the campus on Friday, prompting them to shut down the school for two days. 

Following the complaint, a team led by the Ernakulam District Education Officer (DEO) visited the school and collected statements from the principal and staff. The Deputy Director of Education (DDE) later stated that the student had the right to wear a headscarf and that the school’s stance was not valid, warning that its NOC could be cancelled if it did not comply. 

Amid mounting tension, the school management moved to the Kerala High Court seeking police protection, alleging threats and attempts to incite other parents. The petition claimed that the student had “wilfully disregarded the prescribed uniform policy” and that her father and associates had verbally abused teachers and tried to instigate communal unrest. The court granted interim protection, directing police to ensure the school’s smooth functioning and submit a report on the incident. 

With the issue resolved, the school will make a final decision on the student and resume normal operations from Wednesday.