By SABRANGINDIA
The Acharya Marathe College in Mumbai’s Chembur has introduced a new dress code for its degree college students which includes a ban on burqas, niqabs, hijabs. It includes a ban on ‘revealing clothes’ as well as on other clothes that may bare some identity like badges, caps, or stoles.
This follows last year’s implementation of a uniform policy for junior college students by the college, which also prohibited burqas and hijabs on campus in August 2023. The dress code now introduced by the college is said to be implemented from the new academic year. It also instructs students that if they are wearing any of the prohibited items, then they will be given a common room in the college on the ground floor to remove them.
A student was seen telling the media that Muslims were specifically told on a WhatsApp group that from now onwards hijab, burqa, and even kurta-pyjama (for men) would not be allowed in the college. The student also told the media that no official notice has been given as of yet.
As per a report, over thirty students have submitted a letter to the college, urging it to reconsider the dress code. They also approached national and state human rights commissions to challenge the policy as they say the order violates their right to choose as well as the right to religion guaranteed by the constitution.
This story was originally published in sabrangindia.in. Read the full story here.
