Hijabs in educational institutions? Right or wrong?

Image source- The Wire

After what happened in Karnataka, what the question is that, should a cloth seen as a religious sign be allowed in educational institutions?

Given below are my opinions about the situation, based on facts and what has been happening in our Indian society.

I don't think that anything religious should be allowed in Indian educational institutions. 

With the hijab controversy, lets take some things into consideration. 2-3 girls I know, who follows Islam, told me that a hijab/burqa is a personal choice, if a girl believes in it. It is not compulsory. Hijab is compulsory in a subjective way (geographical location, strict/lenient family, personal choice and beliefs). I know many Muslim girls and women, both personally and celebrities, who don't/didn't wear hijab. 

Also, when one wears something that is associated with any religion, like a hijab/burqa/skull cap for Islam, turbans in Sikh, saffron cloth in Hindus, crucifix in Christians etc' people start to identify them from their religion. Not their whole identity or their personality, but as a identifier (atleast for the start). And putting this into young minds isn't a good idea. 

When young minds start to identify people as religion they belong to, it might even keep growing, taking into account that communalism still exists in India a lot. Politicians are brainwashing youths and turning them into violent people, trying to 'save' the religion they belong to. I know that violence exists when it comes to religion, but all this influence only instigates this communal violence even more.

Even those who are in their 20s get easily influenced by religion and other things, by elders around or by influencers, be it social media influencers, media or politicians. We all have seen the recent example of Bulli Bai app (developed by a youngster) where communalism took place by targeting Muslim women, uploading their photos without their permission and auctioning their photos virtually. And the main people behind this app were youngsters only.

Though uniform kinda sucks, but it also provides equality when you are in educational campuses. You are a Student, beyond your religious, caste, race and other identifiers. Uniforms were created for this purpose. When you see a youngster, either in any religious sign (clothes or whatever), you quickly identify which religion they belong to. It sometimes grab the attention. And when you are in educational institutions, you need not be thinking of that or making that as their whole identity (often happens when one is brainwashed when it comes to religions).

When it comes to colleges, where uniform isn't there most of times, one still can, for a few hours, not wear anything that is a sign of any religion. 

Also there came this news that Muslim girls who wanna wear hijab, would be allowed to sit in different class. If such happens, then later, even Hindus, Christians, Sikhs etc would ask for different class and be able to come in religious clothing/accessories. This will only lead to even more religious divide and communalism. India is a peaceful secular country (for most part, like you don't see people from different religions fighting every now and then) and let our country be that. Schools and colleges are the place where people can be most empathetic to people from other religions by mixing with them, and let it stay as that.

When it comes to Karnataka Hijab case, they can take that off when they are in educational institutions. And just as they step out or school/college timing ends, they can wear it back. I myself support the idea of wear whatever you wanna wear. But sometimes the location also needs to be taken into consideration (like any rational woman won't wear a bikini at religious place/event). Though I would suggest that when you are in educational campuses, you can let go of clothing or anything that has to do with religion(s), regardless of any religion. As I said above, most maybe even influenced about media and politicians, sparking this controversy. Some might be asking for allowing hijab by their own choice to wear.

Before December 2021, even in many colleges, Hijabs weren't allowed. And which colleges did allowed Hijab, there was all peaceful there (many of my classmates wore hijab in class and no one cared). Back then, Hijabi girls didn't have any issue of not entering colleges without hijab. What so suddenly sparked a controversy? Its a girl, who is a part of student terrorist wing of ISIS, who have started this controversy. She was already banned from Karnataka and many of its institutions, so she had spread it to other girls, who became a part of that ISIS terrorist wing, causing all this controversy. This whole controversy is only a result of terrorist wings and politicians who only play divide and rule. This only clearly shows its a politically funded protest to create unnecessary controversies.

So I can say, for some hours, hijab/burqa or any clothes or accessories related to any religion can be taken off while in educational institutions. And once you are out of the campus, you can wear it back again. 

For those who wanna know why Turbans are allowed, even in army, read it here. If they wanna make Hijab a essential religious practice (though its their own choice to wear Hijab, just like many Sikh men do not choose to wear turban), girls who want to wear Hijab should just go to Supreme Court to ask about it.

Edit: Though I don't really bother if the girls wear hijab or not, like when I was in Jr. College, many did wear and it didn't matter to me or anyone. What is more important is that colleges do not start to create the religious divide by seperating classrooms based on religion. Students of all religions can be made sensitive to other's trouble and cordial with other religions, both by schools/colleges and parents. This way, there won't be any harrassment to hijabi girls or anyone else (who chose to wear what they want). If turbans are allowed, then every other religion cloth/accessories should be allowed, provided students are taught to be empathetic and to be non-judgmental, so no conflicts like this arise again. The politicians, who only know to play divide and rule, should not be paid heed to and not be brought into power. This will lead into almost negligible religious controversies and communalism will somewhere come to end (at least in India).