Govt respects all traditions, no curb on hijab: Delhi Deputy CM on hijab ban

New Delhi: Following a Delhi government school student's allegation that she was asked to remove hijab by her teacher, deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said the issue was being politicised by a section of people and no such restrictions had been imposed by the education department.

Mr Sisodia who was addressing a press conference added that the AAP government respects all traditions and students from all religions and castes are treated with dignity at its schools

"Attempts are being made to politicise the issue. Students of all religions and castes are treated with dignity in our schools. There is absolutely no restriction (on wearing hijab) from our side," Sisodia, who also holds the education portfolio, said.

The comments by Mr Sisodia came after a minor girl from a Delhi government school in Mustafabad alleged that she was asked to remove her headscarf at school. The girl made the allegation in a video which went viral on social media.

The girl, who is wearing a hijab, says in the video in Hindi, "Teachers told me not to come to the class wearing this scarf. 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."

According to news agency Press Trust of India, the school authorities have discussed the matter with her parents and the issue has been amicably resolved.

"The existing practice in all government schools in Delhi for the past several decades has been that if girls wear hijab or scarf on their way to school, they take it off on entering the school premises, before they go to class."

"In this case, once the girl entered school premises, her teachers requested her to take off the scarf as per the existing practice.

Later, the school authorities discussed the matter with her parents and the matter has been amicably resolved," a source told news agency PTI on Wednesday.

The row over hijab has escalated in recent weeks after students of a college in Udupi protested against being denied entry into classrooms wearing headscarves. The Karnataka HC is hearing on a day-to-day basis a petition seeking permission to wear hijab in classrooms.