Female students of Vivek Vidyalaya & Junior College in Mumbai’s Goregaon West stage a hunger strike against the burqa ban on Thursday, December 4. The protest was joined by AIMIM Women’s Wing VP Jahnara Sheikh, demanding school administration lift the ban.
Jahnara Sheikh said that before sitting on a hunger strike, they tried to speak to the college management, but they were not allowed enter the premises of Vivek College. "We initially tried to speak with the college management and never intended to stage a protest. We spoke to the management... We urge the college administration to maintain discipline while ensuring that the education of the girls is not disrupted," she told the news agency IANS.
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A female protestor claimed that students were not informed such rules that the burqa is not allowed in college premises. "We want the permission to wear burqas. We were not informed about the restriction in advance; otherwise, we would not have taken admission here," she said.
A male protester said we have taken the matter to the vice principal regarding the burqa ban in college, the administration gave us an appointment to meet the principal, but when we went to meet the principal, they didn't allow us inside.
“We were advised to speak with the Principal. When we went to meet the Principal, the gates were closed, and we were told that we would not be allowed inside," he said.