Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has ordered an inquiry into the case of the alleged wearing of hijab by Hindu and Jain girl students in a private school in Damoh in Madhya Pradesh. Expressing displeasure, he instructed the Dewas collector to investigate the matter, officials said. A controversy erupted when posters of toppers from a private school began to circulate on the internet.
The surprising aspect of these posters was that all of the female students shown were wearing hijabs. Some of these females were Hindus and Jains, which aroused outrage. It was alleged that the girl students were forced to wear hijabs. A Hindu organisation had staged a sit-in in front of the Collector's office in Damoh and demanded the cancellation of the school's recognition.
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Meanwhile, state school education minister Inder Singh Parmar on Thursday said that action would be taken on the issue if the parents lodged an objection in the matter. "The uniform of the school is subject to scrutiny. As per the rules of the School Education Department, private schools have the right to decide on the uniform. Action will be taken if the parents lodge the objection. Action will be taken as per the instructions by the Home Minister and Chief Minister," said Parmar.
Earlier, state Home Minister Narottam Mishra had instructed the District Education Officer to investigate the matter. Priyank Kanoongo, head of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), took cognizance of the situation and issued a notice to the District Magistrate on May 31 seeking an action report within a week.
