Indian university launches probe against student for offering Namaz inside classroom
March 28, 2022
- Right-wing group, Hindu Jagran Manch, demands university to take action against student.
- University registrar says a five-member committee has been formed.
- After the incident, university instructs students to pray inside private premises or religious places.
MADHYA PRADESH: After the hijab row in India, a university in India's Madhya Pradesh state has launched a probe against a university student for praying inside the varsity, according to Tribune India.
Recently, a video of a student praying inside the classroom of Dr Harisingh Gour University has been circulating on social media.
In the video, the student could be seen offering Namaz.
After the video went viral, a right-wing group called Hindu Jagran Manch complained to the university administration, demanding an investigation into the matter against the student.
The HGU registrar said that a complaint was received along with a video clip.
According to the registrar, a five-member committee has been formed to look into the matter that will clear everything. “The committee will submit a report within three days and further action will be taken based on its report,” the registrar added.
Following the incident, all the university students have been instructed to pray inside private premises or religious places.
The HGU media officer said there is no formal dress code for the students on the campus of the educational institution but the students must attend classes in “basic ethical dressing”.
Hindu Jagran Manch’s Sagar unit president told the media that the girl in the video has been attending lectures while wearing a hijab for a long time.
“Such religious activities should not be allowed in the educational institutions. She was coming in hijab for a long but she was spotted offering prayer inside the class on Friday afternoon.
"This is objectionable as educational institutions are a place for every religion. A complaint in this regard has been submitted to the vice-chancellor and the registrar,” he said while referring to the Karnataka High Court verdict.
A day earlier, the Indian Supreme Court refused to accord urgent hearing on the pleas challenging the Karnataka High Court’s verdict that declined to plea against the hijab.
On March 15, the Karnataka High Court had dismissed the petitions seeking permission to wear hijab or headscarf inside the classrooms, observing that it is not a part of the essential religious practice in Islam.
— Thumbnail image: Screengrab/Geo News
