By TwoCircles.net Staff Correspondent,
Alappuzha: The Alappuzha Chief Judicial Magistrate court has decided to hold a direct inquiry into the head-scarf row, according to reports. Magistrate Muhammed Waseem took the decision after the primary hearing of the case filed by Nabala’s father Naseer Musliyar against the school principal Mary Jaseenta. The court will collect evidence from all those involved in the case from today onwards.
The court is reported to collect evidence from Naseer Musliyar today. It will be followed by Nabala, her mother Thasni, relatives R Navas and A Aslam, etc. Since Nabala and her mother have reportedly informed their inconvenience in being present at the court, a commission will be appointed to collect evidence from them.
Meanwhile, the school authorities have refused to provide a new TC for Nabala for joining the Mannanchery Crescent School, which was the agreement reached in the all-party meeting chaired by the district Collector. The school has reportedly maintained that they would provide a new TC only if the former TC (with mention of head-scarf) was returned. Naseer Musliyar refused to give the former TC but requested the school to change the name of school given in the TC from Mannanchery Government School to Crescent School. When the school authorities were not ready to do so, district Collector P Venugopal reportedly asked the school to provide the TC as per Naseer Musliyar’s request. The school is supposed to provide the TC by noon today, as per reports. Naseer Musliyar, Adv Najeeb, Navas and Ambalappuzha Tehsildar (representing the district administration) went to the school to get a new TC.
The head-scarf row came up in Kerala when Nabala, a class 10 student, was thrown out of the Believers Church English Medium School reportedly for wearing a head-scarf and the same reason was mentioned in the TC also for her ousting. The girl’s father approached the district Collector for justice and since then inquiries were made in state and district levels which reportedly found fault with the school. The state Human Rights Commission also took a case suo moto as per media reports. Political parties, socio-religious organizations, cultural leaders etc have condemned the act of the school as anti-secular and violating religious and individual freedom.