Muslim teacher pressured to remove hijab at school in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh
Lucknow: In yet another instance highlighting concerns over religious discrimination and workplace treatment of Muslims in Modi’s India, a Muslim teacher in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh state has reportedly been pressured to remove her hijab at a private school.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Samreen Bano, a teacher from Varanasi, shared videos on social media stating that a private school objected to her Islamic headscarf shortly after hiring her. The videos quickly spread online, drawing strong reactions and reigniting discussions around religious freedom and the visibility of Muslim identity in Indian public life.
Samreen said she has repeatedly faced difficulties in securing teaching jobs after employers discovered her religious identity. In one video, she said that schools and even private families seeking tutors refused to hire her due to her being Muslim. She also said that anti-Muslim prejudice has become so normalized that some children appeared fearful of Muslim teachers. “Our work is to teach children and help them respect every religion,” she said in a circulating video.
The controversy escalated after Samreen said that administrators at Buddha Public School asked her to either to remove her hijab or leave the job. She said no such condition was mentioned during the recruitment process and that objections were raised only after she arrived for work.
A separate video shared online appears to show a conversation between Samreen and an individual linked to the school administration. In the clip, she questions why her hijab should be treated differently from visible Hindu religious symbols such as sindoor and mangalsutra, traditionally associated with Hindu marriage customs. The person in the video responds that the issue concerns school policy.
Samreen argued that the school’s demand violates constitutional protections related to freedom of religion and expression.
The incident has fueled renewed debate over religious attire policies in Indian educational institutions, particularly involving Muslim women wearing hijab. In recent years, hijab-related controversies have intensified in India, especially in the BJP-ruled states.
Observers and rights advocates say that the BJP is promoting policies and rhetoric hostile toward Muslims under the broader influence of Hindutva. They have repeatedly raised concerns over increasing restrictions affecting visible expressions of Muslim identity in schools, universities and workplaces in India.
