The incident reportedly took place on May 31, after which Sanjida Qadar resigned and stopped attending classes at LJD Law College. Qadar, a teacher at a private law college affiliated with the University of Calcutta, resigned after the college authorities allegedly asked her not to wear a hijab at work. Qadar said the alleged order from the college offended her values and religious beliefs.
She had been wearing the hijab to work since March-April this year, and the issue seemed to escalate over the past week. As the issue went public and caused an uproar, the college authorities issued a clarification, saying it was a miscommunication. They claimed they never banned her from covering her head with clothes during working hours, according to PTI.
The college then sent Qadar an email asking her to resume classes on June 11. The email also stated that according to the dress code for faculty members, which is periodically reviewed, she was allowed to use a dupatta or scarf to cover her head while teaching. “There was no directive or prohibition, and the college authorities respect the religious sentiments of every stakeholder. She will resume classes on Tuesday. There is no misunderstanding. We engaged in prolonged discussions with her. The initial developments were the result of some miscommunication,” college governing body chairman Gopal Das told PTI.
However, Qadar said she does not plan to return to the college. “I received an email from the office on Monday. I will analyze my next steps and then decide. But I am not going to college on Tuesday,” she said.
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