Indian college bans Muslim hijabi students from entering classrooms

Another incident of Islamophobia and discrimination surfaced in India as a college in Mumbai banned entry for Muslim students wearing hijab, Hindustan Times reported on Saturday.

According to Indian media, the restriction was imposed in Acharya Marathe College in Chembur, which extended its prohibition on Muslim girls wearing hijab and burqa to its degree college section.

In August last year, the ban came into place in the educational institution's secondary section.

Earlier this month, the college introduced a news 'dress code' that banned “revealing” clothes and objects of religious significance, specifically mentioning hijab, niqab, and burqa.

The Muslim students of the college expressed concern over the restriction, saying "The decision is a violation of religious freedom and fundamental rights."

The students approached the National and State Human Rights Commission on the issue and also wrote a protest letter to the college administration urging them to reconsider their decision.

In response, the authority allowed students to enter the premises with hijab but made it mandatory to remove the burqa before entering the classrooms.