India is a secular country, and all the religion has same rights in its constitution, but despite of that several cases keeps coming up in the media wherein the minority community faces the discrimination pertaining to their lifestyle and dress codes.
In some of the community people wear dresses that is called as skimpy while in another community it is opposite of that. The Hijab is a dress code of Muslim community wherein the lady supposes to dress up in a certain manner while leaving the home.
The Hijab covers the head and face upto the ears and the same in not allowed by the invigilators to enter the examination hall with hijab saying it is against the rules.
This is the second case of such kind following the incident that took place in Goa a few days ago, wherein the 24-year-old girl was denied to appear for the NET test. A 24-year old writer and post-graduate psychology degree holder, Safina Khan Soudagar, has taken the internet by storm after she voiced her disappointment on the discrimination she faced for wearing a Hijab.
According to reports, the Merces-based Muslim woman claimed that she was not allowed to write the National Eligibility Test (NET), as she was wearing a hijab which was against the dress code. She further said that she had to face such discrimination on various occasions too. She argues that nuns can keep their headgears on then why not Muslim women wear a hijab?
Here is the second case, Umaiyah Khan, a student of Jamia Islamia University who is currently pursuing her Master of Business Administration (MBA), has alleged that she was not allowed to appear for University Grants Commission –National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) exam for wearing Hijab.
Speaking to ANI, she said, “I went for the NET exam last week in Rohini area. I reached the exam center but did not get the permission to sit for the exam and the reason was Hijab. Both male and female invigilators did not allow me to sit for the exam. I even requested the senior officials but was not allowed.”
Further substantiating her point, Khan added, “I have shown all my identities. Yet, they ordered that I remove my Hijab then sit for the exam. I cannot do that because this is my religion, I cannot remove it. I requested them to allow me but they did not let me.”
She has also written an email to the UGC about this issue. “If I don’t get any reply I will seek legal advice in the matter,” she added.
Expressing his anger over the incident Khan’s brother Mohd. Zaheed Afzal said, “This is not happening with Umaiayah only, this has been done with many other girls. We Muslims are already backward in terms of higher education and when we get such opportunities we are treated like this. I strongly condemn this. This has happened not only in Delhi, but similar cases were also reported from Goa and other states.”
A professor from the university condemned the incident and said that taking away the “right to appear for an exam just because one practices a particular religion cannot be done.”
“I condemn this unfortunate incident. Education and appearing for the exam is every student’s right. You cannot take that right because he or she is practicing a particular religion,” said Prof Amirul Hasan Ansari, Director of Management Studies, Jamia Islamia University.
