Karnataka hijab row: Child rights panel says Darul Uloom told Muslim women to not wear uniform

The NCPCR chief, Priyank Kanoongo, alleged that Darul Uloom, an Islamic seminary, was responsible for the ongoing hijab controversy. He alleged that Darul Uloom asked Muslim women not to wear uniforms to schools and colleges.

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) chief Priyank Kanoongo reacted to the ongoing hijab row in Karnataka. He alleged that Darul Uloom, an Islamic seminary in India, was asking Muslim women not to wear uniforms and that they were responsible for promoting this culture.

Invoking Mahatma Gandhi in his statement, he said, “Gandhi must be in pain seeing these visuals.” He added, “Gandhi was against the Parda pratha. He considered the parda a hindrance to the educational progress of Muslim women.”

“Those trying to manipulate students on this issue are against the nation’s progress,” said the child rights panel chief. “In order to stop incidents like these, we have issued a notice to Darul Uloom Deoband.”

Darul Uloom asked Muslim women to not wear uniforms, to stay away from co-ed schools and from schools where male teachers are part of the faculty, alleged the NCPCR chief.

The ongoing hijab row in Karnataka took a violent turn on Tuesday, February 8. Stones were pelted during the protest in Karnataka's Bagalkot district and the police responded with lathi charge.

Due to the unstable climate in the state, Karnataka CM Bommai ordered schools and colleges to be closed for the next three days.

Responding to whether the NCPCR is against hijabs in educational institutions, he said, “uniform ends disparity. We are against anything beyond a uniform — whether it is Hijab or saffron scarf. We can’t promote anarchy amongst students.”