J&K: Army run school asks staff to avoid wearing hijab; Mehbooba Mufti says, “Our girls will not give up their right”

Srinagar: After an Army-run school in north Kashmir's Baramulla district asked its staff to stop wearing Hijab during school hours, former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti said the girls here will not “give up their right to choose.”

She took to her twitter handle to condemn the move and also attached the copy of the circular issued by the Dagger Parivaar School Baramulla. The school caters to specially-abled kids and presently 70 are on roll.

“I condemn this letter issuing diktats on hijab. J&K may be ruled by BJP but its certainly not like any other state where they bulldoze the houses of minorities & not allow them the freedom to dress as they want. Our girls will not give up their right to choose,” she tweeted.

In a circular issued on Monday, the school Principal instructed the staff to avoid Hijab so that students can feel "comfortable." “As the staff of school, the main purpose is to provide the fullest possible development of each learner,” the circular added.

“For the same, the trust must be established with the students to make them feel welcome, safe and happy. The staff is hereby instructed to avoid hijab during school hours. So that students can feel comfortable and are forthcoming to interact with teachers and staff, ” the circular further said.

On Tuesday, a defence official in Srinagar said there was nothing wrong in the circular. "This school is for specially-abled children, who always require significant physical interaction. There should be no controversy over it as specially-abled children need special care," he said. (UNI)