In Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh, several Muslim girls wearing hijabs were barred from attending Janta Inter College in Mahua, Thana Kotwali Dehat.
The incident, captured in a video that surfaced on social media, shows the girls in college uniforms outside the college premises.
According to the girls, they were expelled by Principal Shivendra Pal Singh after being instructed to remove their hijabs and wear loose garments.
The students reported being told to come to the college without their hijabs and keep their hair tied.
Following their expulsion, they were asked to bring their guardians to the college, as per news reports.
The expulsion has sparked outrage among the guardians, who view it as an infringement on religious freedoms and a violation of students’ religious rights. They are calling for respect for the students’ religious identities.
The Bijnor police have taken note of the situation and announced that an investigation has been ordered.
The District Magistrate has directed the District Inspector of Schools to look into the matter, and efforts are underway to facilitate a meeting between the college authorities and the guardians to resolve the issue.
This incident comes shortly after the Supreme Court of India temporarily stayed a Mumbai college’s ban on hijabs, caps, and badges.
The Court has questioned the rationale behind such restrictions and suggested that they might be an attempt to conceal students’ religious identities.
The Supreme Court is reviewing a petition challenging a Bombay High Court order that upheld the ban on religious attire, including hijabs and niqabs, at NG Acharya and DK Marathe College.