Kochi: A Class 8 student at St. Rita’s Public School in Palluruthy, Ernakulam, was not allowed to go to class because she was wearing a headscarf. On Tuesday, the Kerala government’s order went against an earlier, mediated settlement.
The fight at the Catholic Church-run school started when the student’s father, P.M. Anas, requested that his daughter be permitted to wear the hijab because of her religious convictions. The school said no because of its rigorous dress code of shirt and pants. The situation got worse, and the school had to cancel classes on Monday and Tuesday because the father and others allegedly made a scene on school grounds. The school management had already gone to the Kerala High Court, which gave the school police protection on Monday because there were concerns about probable law and order problems.
Two Outcomes That Happen at the Same Time
On Tuesday, two things happened at the same time that were opposite of each other:
- Father Agrees to School Rules: After conciliatory talks led by local politicians like Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden (Congress), the student’s father agreed to follow the school’s dress rules.
Anas told reporters after the meeting, “My daughter and I have decided to follow what the school management says.” He went on to say, “I don’t want this to turn into a communal issue tomorrow.” MP Hibi Eden was happy about the action and said that people would fight against efforts to make a “communal divide” in the area. - Government Orders Hijab to Be Allowed: Hours after the compromise was revealed, Kerala General Education Minister V. Sivankutty posted on Facebook that the state government was telling the school to let the youngster wear the hijab.
The Minister took action after getting a report from the Deputy Education Director about a complaint from the girl’s father. Minister Sivankutty said that the department uncovered “serious mistakes” by the school officials.
Minister Sivankutty said, “The investigation report says that kicking a student out of class for wearing a headscarf is a serious violation of the Right to Education Act.” He went on to say that what the school did was “against the basic freedom of religion and beliefs of citizens guaranteed by the Constitution.”
The study says that the student should be able to wear the hijab as part of her religion, but the school should be able to choose the color and style of the headscarf to keep things consistent. The Minister firmly said, “We will not let any school break the rules of the Constitution.”
The School’s Case
The people in charge of St. Rita’s Public School said that the kid and her family were fully told about the uniform requirement when she started school in June, and she followed it until October 6. School authorities said that making an exception for one student was not possible because other Muslim pupils at the school follow the uniform code without complaint.