'After Karnataka unrest, I saw the mood around me change in college'

Following the hijab controversy in Karnataka there has been a case of harassment in the city too The principal of a college in Virar has alleged harassment by the management over wearing hijab and has resigned from the postIn conversation with midday Dr Batul Hamid said that things were going well for her until the Karnataka hijab controversy erupted after which she said she was insulted and unjustly accused of propagating Muslim culture on campusWhy did you tender your resignationThe reason for resigning from my post as the principal was because the atmosphere in the campus gradually started to turn very hostile and suffocating at least for me This started only after the Karnataka hijab issue It started to make me uncomfortable All the good work I had done over the past two years was disregarded and I was taunted for wearing a hijab I felt that they were compelling me to resign and if I had not they would have created situations and issues showing that I was incapable of running the college So I decided to keep my dignity and resign insteadDr Batul HamidWhen did you start noticing the mood change against you Was there any particular instanceI joined the college in 2019 and things were going well But people in the management started targeting me only after the hijab controversy erupted in January Staffers started to behave disrespectfully Office boys and peons were specifically told not to help me carry my bags As I suffer from back pain the peons used to help me earlier but they stopped There were no issues for the past two years but after the Karnataka issue they management accused me of propagating my religion on campus just because I wear the hijab One day some people from the Dawoodi Bohra community which is also my community came to my office to inquire about admissions After that some people in the management started accusing me of propagating my religion on the campus Holding haldi kumkum events and recitation of Saraswati Vandana on the campus are normal for the administration but wearing a hijab is objectionable I respect everyonersquos religion and in turn I expect everyone to respect mineDid you approach the higher authorities about thisI had approached the college administration about the behaviour of staffers but no action was initiated against anyoneDo you think the Karnataka ban would percolate to other spheres such as offices and public spaces tooYes The Karnataka hijab ban has not only led to politicisation of the issue but also made way for attacks on hijab and hijabclad women across the country People have now started targeting people like us who just want to peacefully follow our religion I heard that recently a woman who was wearing a hijab or a burqa was denied a seat on a train So I would say it has already spread among some sections It is surprising that even when the Constitution has given equal rights to all to freely profess practice and follow their religion and people are often seen sporting religious symbols like sacred threads turbans mangalsutra sindoor and the likes it is only the hijab that is banned If it is about religious symbols then everything else that falls under that ambit should be banned tooDr Batul Hamid with Justice B G Kolse Patil at a seminar she had organisedAny words of advice or support to young students who wear hijabIf the ban continues or is announced across the country it will discourage my little sisters and young students from opting for formal education I request all students who wear hijab to not be discouraged I also urge them to come out and protest against such injusticeWhatrsquos next for youWhile taking the step to resign from the post of principal was big I am confident there will be lots of other opportunities for me So I am not worried After all every ending marks a new beginningCollegersquos responsegtgt We have teaching and nonteaching staff belonging to various religions and communities and we have never faced such allegations of discrimination in over three decadesgtgt Have many hijabclad students studying heregtgt Dr Batul Hamid never approached us about the issueMarch 16Day she resigned