All India Bar Association claimed that anti social elements were trying to spoil secular values in educational institutions by misguiding Muslim students to wear Niqab, Hijab, Burqa etc. in place of prescribed secular dress code of the educational institutions.The letter said that the management of religious educational institutions were empowered to run their institutes as per the tenets of their religion.

The management of madrasas, therefore can prescribe any religious dress code for the students, including Hijab and Niqab, association’s chairman Adish C Aggarwala said.

He added that Niqab and Hijab are permitted in madrasas and not in general secular educational institutions.

It claimed that the citizens of India are entitled to have the right to follow their religious practices in their religious places and not in the secular places where a dress code is prescribed.

In these circumstances, we call upon the central government and state governments to ensure that all students, irrespective of any religion, wear the school uniform, in order to uphold secular values in India as India is a secular country, the letter said.

Also read: Karnataka hijab row: Degree classes suspended till February 16