Parbhani: A dance performance by students wearing burqa at a school in Maharashtra’s Parbhani district has stirred outrage within the Muslim community. The video is viral on social media sites and users have criticised the school authority for the disrespectful and shameful act.
A video from the January 31 annual function of Nutan Kanya Prashala, which shows six female students dancing to vulgar songs, has gone viral, intensifying concerns. Notably, only one of the participants was Muslim, as reported by Clarion India.
The Muslim Adhikar Parishad, a group of social activists, has written to Maharashtra’s Minister of School Education, Dadaji Bhuse, demanding action against the school management. The group accused the school of deliberately making Hindu students wear burqas and dance to obscene songs, calling it an insult to Muslim religious symbols.
“The burqa is a significant part of Muslim women’s religious identity. The school administration has intentionally hurt the sentiments of the community by misusing it,” Clarion India quoted Muslim Adhikar Parishad saying in a letter, urging strict action against the school and its headmaster.
Waheed Patel, president of the Muslim Adhikar Parishad, told Clarion India that community members expressed strong objections, leading the school authorities to issue an apology. Initially, the school justified the act, claiming the burqas were used for a horror scene. However, after protests and a formal complaint, they retracted their stance and apologised.
Patel said that religious symbols should not be used for entertainment purposes, stating that the school could have used plain black cloth instead.
The controversy comes amid wider concerns over the treatment of hijab-wearing women in educational institutions. Recently, BJP leader and Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane called for a ban on burqas during board examinations, citing concerns over cheating and security risks.
