MP: Case registered against school in Damoh over ‘hijab’ row

BHOPAL: The Madhya Pradesh government has registered a case against a private school in Damoh that has been at the centre of a row for allegedly making students wear hijab-like headscarves as part of its uniform, said state home minister Narottam Mishra on Thursday. The case has been registered under Indian Penal Code sections 295(A) (outraging religious feelings) and 506(B) (criminal intimidation), said Mishra, who is also the spokesperson of the BJP government in the state.

Whatever points come up during the investigation, stern action will be taken accordingly, Mishra told reporters here when asked about the controversy. The state education department last week suspended the recognition of Ganga Jamuna Higher Secondary School in Damoh, about 250 km from state capital Bhopal, after one of its posters allegedly showed girls, including Hindu students, wearing headscarves that looked like hijab as part of the uniform.

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Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday said that he has ordered a high-level probe into the matter. No one can compel any “daughter or girl” to wear a different dress or sport hijab, he said. “We will take stern action on the basis of the truth,” the CM said. Earlier on Wednesday, three BJP leaders were booked after they allegedly threw ink on the district education officer (DEO) of Damoh accusing him of favouring the school. The incident took place when DEO SK Mishra was leaving his office campus in a vehicle in the afternoon. BJP’s Damoh district vice-president Amit Bajaj claimed responsibility for the ink attack.

On a complaint by Mishra, a case was registered against Bajaj, Monty Raikwar and Sandeep Sharma on the charge of obstructing the government official from performing his duties and assault with intent to insult a person, said Damoh Superintendent of Police Rakesh Kumar Singh. After throwing the ink on the DEO, Bajaj alleged that Mishra had tried to suppress the matter though he was “aware of illegal activities” in the private school.