Srinagar: Several female students of Vishwa Bharti Higher Secondary School here staged a protest against its administration on Thursday, alleging that they were denied entry to the institute for wearing an ‘abaya’.
A loose-fitting, full-length robe — ‘abaya’ — is worn by Muslim women.
“We are told we should go to a ‘Madrassa’ if we want to wear an abaya. We were not allowed inside the school,” said one of the protesting students.
The students alleged the school administration told them they were “ruining the atmosphere of the school” by wearing abayas.
Later in the day, the principal of Vishwa Bharati Higher Secondary School apologized for any hurt caused after protests by students over the alleged ban on wearing of abaya in the school.
In a statement, Principal Meemroz Shafi said that the allegations of the ban on abaya were false.
“That it has been running on social media that female students have been directed not to wear an abaya, which is totally baseless and misrepresented. The school management always respects the sentiments of all the sections of the society vis-a-vis dress code,” she said.
The statement clarified that no ban has been imposed by the Principal or the Management on wearing the abaya “but it was politely conveyed to the students to wear school uniform underneath the abaya.
“It is for the information of all students that they can wear the abaya and no such restrictions have been imposed in the classrooms. Today’s conversation with the students and the parents has been misrepresented and in any case, if it has hurt the sentiments of the students or the parents, I unconditionally apologize for the same,” the principal said.
