Chembur college slapped legal notice by NGO over burqa controversy

Days after, a college in Mumbai's Chembur barred girl students from entering the premises while wearing burqa but gave in after a protest by parents and students and intervention by senior police officials a legal notice has been slapped on the institution. According to a Mid Day report, an educational NGO and lawyer sent a legal notice to the principal seeking an explanation. The organisation, Exa Education Foundation has alleged such episodes will only prevent Muslim girls from pursuing higher education.

In the legal notice sent to Dr Vidyagauri Lele, the college’s principal, the NGO sought an explanation. “We want the college principal and management to clarify why the girls were restricted entry. The security guard will not stop the girls on his own. They acted according to the instructions given to them. Restraining Muslim girl students from wearing burqas is restraining them from their right to wear what they want to. Also, the girls have said they have no problem wearing the uniform; they just needed permission to change in the girls’ common room,” said advocate Saif Alam. On Wednesday, several Std XII students of N G Acharya and D K Marathe College of Arts, Science and Commerce at Chembur were stopped from entering the college premises by security guards. They were told that they were not allowed to wear burqas over their uniforms in breach of the college’s new uniform policy. After the incident, students held a protest outside the college and they were allowed in. However, this led to anger and disappointment among the members of the Muslim community and social activists.