Muslim teacher quits over hijab ban at Kolkata college
Kolkata: A Muslim teacher at a private law college, affiliated to the University of Calcutta in India’s West Bengal state, resigned and stopped attending classes after the institute authorities asked her to refrain from wearing a hijab at the workplace.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Sanjida Qadar, a teacher at LJD Law College in Kolkata for the past three years, resigned, stating that the college authorities had instructed her not to wear a hijab at the workplace after May 31.
“The diktat from the college governing body offended my values and religious sentiments,” she said.
Expressing solidarity with the teacher, West Bengal minister and Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind president Siddiqullah Chowdhury said the college governing body president should apologise to her. The veteran Muslim leader also wondered whether the college authorities were working at the behest of the RSS and the BJP.
“On behalf of the government, I will raise the issue with the law minister to see if any action can be taken against the college concerned for forcing a woman to quit the job for wearing a hijab” he asked.
However, as the matter became public and sparked an uproar, the college authorities claimed that it resulted from miscommunication, and that she had been asked to withdraw her resignation. But, Qadar said that she does not plan to resume her duties at the college.
