A circular issued by the Department of Education of the Lakshadweep district panchayat seems to have triggered a fresh controversy in the archipelago, which has been on the boil in recent years, with the move being dubbed an indirect attempt to discourage students from wearing skull cap or hijab, which are common among the majority community in the island.
The circular issued to Principals/headmistress in all government senior secondary schools sought to constitute a monthly cash award of ₹500 for wearing the best uniform, which, however, did not consider students wearing ‘extra items’ as part of the uniform. The allegation is that the reference to ‘extra items’ is an euphemism for skull cap or hijab.
Nizamuddin K.I., former member of the Lakshadweep district panchayat, said that the larger public saw it as an attempt to trample on their religious and cultural traditions. “Directly asking not to wear these religious symbols would have triggered a big backlash. That is why they are not directly referring to it,” he said.
