English lecturer quits job over bar on her hijab in Karnataka

An English lecturer working as a guest faculty has resigned from her post as she was asked to shun the hijab while teaching in Tumakuru district of Karnataka on Friday. "It is a matter of my self-respect. I can't teach without the hijab," the lecturer Chandini said after quitting.

"Since three years I am working in Jain PU College as a guest lecturer. In these three years I did not have any problem and I worked normally with ease. But, yesterday my principal called me and told me that classes must be conducted without a hijab or any religious symbols. Since the last three years, I am lecturing wearing a hijab, it hurt my self-respect and I didn't want to work in that college anymore. Hence, I resigned voluntarily," she stated.

In her resignation letter Chandini has said that she is resigning as she was asked to remove her hijab which she has been wearing for three years in the college. "Right to religion is a constitutional right which nobody can deny." She stated that, "I condemn your undemocratic act." The college authorities refused to comment on the issue.

Meanwhile, many netizens who came across her resignation letter have raised questions over the lecturer's language skills.

Hijab-wearing Muslim students walk outside a canteen in the premises of Government First Grade College in Karnataka. Reuters

The hijab row in Karnataka has turned into a major controversy. Across the state, students have started to agitate and protest against the decision of college managements to deny permission to attend classes while wearing a hijab. A special bench constituted by the High Court is hearing the matter and the government has stated that after the verdict, it will come out with a specific rule regarding wearing of hijab.

Aligarh college bans entry of students not in uniform

The Dharma Samaj College in Aligarh has issued a notice, banning entry of students without the prescribed uniform. The directives come two days after a group of students wearing saffron scarves held a protest in the campus, demanding ban of 'hijab' in the college premises.

The principal of the college, Dr Raj Kumar Verma, said, in view of the college discipline, the administration has issued a notice in this regard.

"We will not allow students' entry in the premises with covered faces, as some students were recently spotted wearing hijab and burqa in the campus," he said.
He further said that saffron scarves will also not be allowed inside the college.

Indo-Asian News Service