Nasir Ali
Srinagar 8 June: The right to freedom of religion is a fundamental aspect of a democratic society that upholds the values of diversity, tolerance, and individual liberty. In the context of India, a nation known for its rich cultural tapestry and religious pluralism, the right to freedom of religion is enshrined as a fundamental right for all its citizens.
The right to freedom of religion in India is enshrined in Article 25-28 of the Indian Constitution. Article 25 guarantees individuals the right to freely profess, practice, and propagate their religion. It ensures that every citizen has the freedom to follow the religion of their choice.
The right to freedom of religion recognizes the inherent autonomy of individuals to choose and practice their faith without interference or coercion. It acknowledges that religious beliefs are deeply personal and allows individuals to express their spirituality freely.
Article 26 further grants religious communities the right to manage their own affairs, establish and maintain religious institutions, and administer their own religious properties. These constitutional provisions reflect the commitment of the Indian state to protect and promote religious freedom as a fundamental right.
Scores of girl students of 11th and 12th Classes from Vishwa Bharti (VB) Girls Higher Secondary School in Rainawari staged a protest on Thursday, for allegedly not being allowed to enter the premises wearing ‘Abaya’. The protesting students alleged that they were told to join a “Madrasa” if they wanted to wear the Hijab. The students said that they do not have issues with anyone coming in any dress, but they should not be stopped from following their choice of covering their heads.
“We were told yesterday that you should come to school without wearing Abaya and if you wear Abaya, you won’t be allowed entry into the premises. Are we doing anything wrong by wearing Abaya, we want the college management to allow us to wear the abaya in the college,” one of the protesting students said,”
Recently, the school management started co-education, and one fails to understand what is wrong with wearing the Abaya,” the students added. They also alleged that the Principal of the school told the girl students that she has no issue with the comfort zone of the students, protesting students said.
Principal Secretary of the School Education Department, Alok Kumar, stated that she spoke to the concerned principal and found that there was no order disallowing the Abaya in the school. He mentioned that the principal asked for adherence to the school uniform, which is not wrong.
National Conference chief spokesman Tanvir Sadiq said, “Wearing a Hijab should be a personal choice, and there should be no interference in matters of religious attire. It is unfortunate to witness such incidents in a Muslim-majority Jammu and Kashmir.”
“We strongly oppose this and urge for immediate corrective action. I request the @OfficeOfLGJandK, @SrinagarPolice and @AsadamAijaz to intervene promptly before the situation escalates,” Tanvir tweeted.
Meanwhile the school Management of VB college issued a statement which reads that “We always respect the sentiments of all the sections of the society visa vis the dress code. We clarified that no ban has been imposed by the School Principal or the Management on wearing Abaya. It is for the information of all students that they can wear the Abaya and no such restrictions have been imposed in the classrooms,
The principal added that “in any case if it has hurt the sentiments of the students or the parents, I unconditionally apologize for the same,” reads the statement issued here.
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