West Bengal students demand teachers wear burqas

By ASSOCIATED PRESS

CALCUTTA: Students at an Islamic university in eastern India have refused to allow a female lecturer to teach unless she wears an all-encompassing Muslim veil, the teacher said on Thursday.

The student union has ordered all female students and all eight female lecturers at the small Calcutta campus of Aliah University to wear the veil, called a burqa in South Asia.

Sirin Middya said she was appointed in March but has not been allowed to teach her classes since she refused to wear the garment, which covers the entire body and face. A mesh net covers the eyes.

“The students have threatened us and have put up banners saying those who oppose the burqa rule can go back home,” Middya said.

Nearly a fourth of the population of West Bengal state, where the university is located, is Muslim, and burqas are a common sight in many neighborhoods.

Middya said she had been hired to teach Bengali at the city campus but had been helping out as a librarian in a separate suburban campus of the university for the last three months.

“I don’t have a problem wearing the burqa, but when I wear it, it will be of my own free will,” Middya said. Middya said she has written to the university authorities and West Bengal education minister to intervene after a new academic year began in July.

University authorities were not immediately available for comment. However, Vice Chancellor Syed Shamshul Alam told the Indian Express newspaper that they have asked the teacher to shift to another campus of the university.

“This is a stray incident... There is no dress code in our university,” Alam said.

Comments

GEORGE

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In response the the Western media, muslims have always claimed that the veil is worn voluntarily, so that the woman may show her modesty and piety. Here is a clear case of the opposite.

AMIN

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@George, are you an agent of jews or americans????? Why do you only find out news related to Muslims on arabnews.com and post your out and out anti-Islamic feelings out here. Its better for you to understand the true meaning of Islam before opting out for going harsh against Islam. See, Islam is the Giant Identity of the true face of modesty and humanity which is never gonna be affected by your dolt and psychic comments.
The fact here is that when a family member tries to go beyond his/her limitation,the other members of the family try to bring him/her back to the normal. But my dear friend your grey matter is not developed enough to understand these family values for the 2 possible prominent reasons: 1. People like you have filled yourself with racism and/or 2.People like You are being paid a good sum of money to spread hatred.
If you are really concerned about humanity, modesty, global peace and etiquettes, and also, if you are so interested to point finger at Islam and Muslim and if you have courage to accept challenge, I invite you to remove all your prejudice about anyone and try to understand the holy Quran comprehensively. And after that if you don't like Islamic Values, options are open for you. Its true that we, the Muslims have deviated from our original path and its also true at the same time that some outsiders in name of Muslims are creating chaos globally but remember its not our style and we are desperately waiting for the people like you to come ahead and act like a catalyst to create a much needed awakening among Muslims and for this very reason I thank you whole heartedly.Please come here everyday and vomit your anti-Islamic feelings so that my Muslim brothers and sisters can wake up from their deep sleep.

HASHMI

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MashaALLAh!! very well said , brother Amin.. No malice towards George as I feel pity for people like him who know nothing abt Islam and go abt speaking ill and false against the religion which has every solution to problems known to mankind. Yes, the muslims has to wake up from their deep sleep and present the actual peaceful and serene character , which our Lord has ordered us to. Then will the people like Mr.George understand and may InshaALLAh accept the path of Islam.

SARA AL-SHAIKH

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@ Amin, after reading the comments it is you who look like a racist. What the students did at the university is wrong. Islam is not a religion of force. It is a religion of peace.

TARIQ

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WOW! Amin, where are you going with your comments? George simply made an observation and he was correct. Here recently many countries have and or are trying to stop the wearing of the burga. In defense of the burga many people have protested by say it is a woman's choice to wear it or not and the government should not impose such a ban on the garments. Those countries have said the wearing of the burga is not a woman's choice; it is in fact being imposed on women to wear it. This article is proving those governments to be correct. This has nothing to do with Jews or Americans. It have to do with the female, Muslim students of Aliah University protesting and refusing to go to class because their teacher is not wearing the burga. They are trying to force this woman, which is exactly what some Western countries are saying. How about Turkey and Syria? They are Muslim countries that have put restrictions on women covering. Did you rant and rave when you read those articles? Are you rant and raving on how Muslims are killing Muslims in such large numbers. Can you not see the forest for the trees? Try being a little objective and don't simply condemn one because you think you have the chance. The Danish, French, Syrian, and Turkish are not American and Jews.
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