Hijab row reaches Aligarh, Shree Varshney College bans entry of students with headscarves

New Delhi: The Hijab controversy that erupted in Karnataka and made national headlines has now reached Uttar Pradesh’s Aligarh where an educational institute banned the entry of hijab-clad students.

The Shree Varshney College, on Saturday, issued a notice `banning` entry of students in the campus without "prescribed uniforms" and refused entry to Muslim girls who were wearing hijab, sending students into a frenzy.

The Shree Varshney College’s notice directed students not to cover their faces while attending class.

Several students returned home after they were denied entry adding that the staff refused to let them in.

A student, studying in B.Sc final year, said that the college authorities had first asked her to remove the burqa which she was wearing while entering the campus and later they asked her to remove the hijab, too.

"I fail to understand why they have a problem with our hijab. I am not prepared to go anywhere without a hijab and the college is not allowing us to enter the campus anymore," she said.

Meanwhile, Beena Upadhyaya, administrative officer of the college, said that this notice is a `reminder` to students that there is a "dress code" in the college that has to be adhered to.

When contacted, college proctor Anil Varshney said, "The dress code is clearly mentioned in the prospectus.

"We only want students to follow the rules and regulations of the college. We are following directions. The students have just been told that dress codes will be implemented with more seriousness now," he added.

(With IANS inputs)