The Kerala Muslim Educational Society (MES), on Friday, banned face veils for Muslims in all educational institutions in the upcoming academic year of 2019-20.
“MES aims at social and cultural progress of Muslims through education and it insists that the students under its colleges should be reasonable in dressing as well as studies co-curricular activities. We should discourage all tendencies that are inappropriate. So such dressing in the name of neither modernisation nor religion could be tolerated Heads of institutions and local management should be more careful to insist the same,” the circular of MES read.
“There is no need for any controversy as the circular states that the dress code should be decent and the face should not be covered. This is our view and it will be implemented,” said MES President Fazal Gafoor to the media.
In support of the Muslim Educational Society, KT Jaleel, minister of higher education, said, “Muslim women don’t cover their faces while they go to Haj. Islam says that women should not hide their faces. Therefore insisting a face veil is wrong.”
Opposing voices were however heard from Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama, a popular Muslim religious organisation headed by Sayyid Muhammad Jifri Muthukoya Thangal.
“The government has no intent to interfere in this issue and if needed, I will take the lead to initiate talks with religious heads to sort out the issue,” he said.
Set up in 1964, runs almost more than 150 educational institutions including schools, post graduate colleges, engineering colleges, and the like.