Madhya Pradesh: Namaz offered in classroom at college, probe ordered

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After a video of a hijab-clad Muslim girl purportedly offering namaz inside a college classroom in Madhya Pradesh went viral on social media, the university administration has ordered a probe into the matter.

As per sources, the incident occurred in Dr Harisingh Gour University (HGU), a central varsity, in Sagar district. In the viral video, a burqa/hijab-clad girl could be seen purportedly offering namaz inside a classroom.

After the video surfaced on media, members of the Hindu Jagran Manch reached the university campus and staged a protest, raising `Jai Shree Ram` slogans and reciting Hanuman Chalisa at a temple located on the campus. They later handed over a memorandum to the university administration demanding action against the girl student.

Kapil Swami, a member of Hindu Jagran Manch, claimed that namaz was deliberately offered inside the classroom on Friday.

"It was a deliberate act carried out on the behest of some faculty members of the university. We have demanded that punitive action be taken against those who helped the girl offer namaz," Swami said.

Neelima Gupta, Vice Chancellor of HGU, has ordered an inquiry into the matter.

"A five-member committee has been constituted to look into the matter. The committee will submit its report within three days, and further action will be taken based on this report. We have asked all the students to follow their religious practices outside the university campus," Gupta said.

The Karnataka High Court had recently ordered restricting the wearing of hijab in educational institutions in the state, deeming it not an "essential religious practice" in Islam. On Thursday, the Supreme Court refused urgent hearing of pleas challenging the Karnataka High Court verdict.