Why are Kerala medical students demanding alternatives to hijab inside operating theatres?

A fresh row has broken out over the hijab – this time in Kerala. Some medical students have demanded that they be allowed to wear long sleeve scrub jackets and surgical hoods inside operation theatres as an alternative to the hijab. But what happened exactly? And what are the students demanding? Let’s take a closer look: What happened? Women students from Government Medical College have penned a letter to principal Dr Linnette J Morris expressing concern about not being allowed to don hijabs inside operating theatres. According to The Times of India, the letter has been written by a student from the 2020 batch. The letter dated 26 June is signed by six other students from the 2018, 2021 and 2022 batches. “Hijab-wearing women have a difficult time finding a balance between donning the compliant religious attire and maintaining modesty while also complying with hospital and operation room regulations,” the letter states.

“According to our religious belief, wearing hijab is mandatory for Muslim women under all circumstances,” the letter adds.

The students asked that they be allowed to wear long sleeve scrub jackets and surgical hoods as an alternative based on options available for hospital personnel in other parts of the world. “Long-sleeve scrub jackets and surgical hoods are available, which allow us to maintain sterile precautions as well as our hijab,” they added. The letter asked the principal to investigate the matter and grant them permission to do so at the earliest. ‘Patient’s safety is paramount’ Morris, confirming she’d received the letter, said she explained to the students the need to follow the prescribed precautionary practices inside the operation theatres and the necessity to adhere to the present globally accepted dress code. The principal said it is not practically possible to wear long-sleeve jackets, as they demand, inside the theatres as several rounds of scrub-up (washing up to the elbow in running water) are involved while doing a surgical procedure or assisting in it. It is a globally accepted procedure and practice inside the operation theatre, she explained. She said the operation theatre is a highly sterile zone, and the health and safety of patients are of utmost priority there.

An anaesthetist by profession, the college principal said the safety of patients cannot be compromised.

“We cannot simply cross over the existing procedures and practices inside operation theatres. I explained to them all the problems involved in it,” the principal told PTI. To address the concerns of the students, Morris said she assured them she would form a committee of surgeons to look into the matter. “There is an infection control team comprising the staff nurse, microbiologist, and all. I told the students that we would discuss the pros and cons of the matter and let them know about the final outcome,” she added. According to The Times of India, the letter contains language similar to that from the website Hijab in the OR. The website is run by gynecologist resident physician Dr Deena Kishawi. Dr Kishawi, born and raised in Chicago, seeks to give voice to the difficulties faced by hijab-wearing women in surgery and to create educational material about Muslims in medicine. Dr Kishawi posted a similar article on social media in 2018. Experts agreed with principal Morris. Dr Rajan P, emeritus professor of surgery, Govt. Medical College, Kozhikode and national executive committee member of the Association of Surgeons of India, told The Times of India, “We have a standard system and set of practices being followed all over the world irrespective of caste, creed or religion. We shouldn’t attempt to bring religion into the medical field. Earlier, nuns used to wear their religious dress in theatres, but they went back to wearing the conventional surgical dress. We shouldn’t dilute the principles we follow to ensure a sterile operating room.” Past hijab controversies in Kerala, Karnataka This isn’t the first time the hijab and Muslim students have been at the centre of controversy. In January, the Kerala government dismissed a plea by a Muslim student seeking permission to wear hijab and full-sleeve dress in the Student Police Cadet project. The Student Police Cadet (SPC) Project is a school-based youth development initiative that trains high school students to evolve as future leaders of a democratic society by inculcating within them respect for the law, discipline, civic sense, empathy for vulnerable sections of society and resistance to social evils.

The Muslim student cited her religious obligations as the reason for wearing the hijab.

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However, the government said such a waiver in the state police’s programme would significantly affect secularism in the state. In its order, the State Home Department said the government, after careful examination of her representation “is fully satisfied that the demand of the complainant is not considerable.” “Also, if such a waiver is considered in the Student Police Cadet project, similar demands will be made on other similar forces, which will significantly affect the secularism of the state. Therefore, it is not appropriate to give any indication such that the religious symbols are highlighted in the uniform under the Student Police Cadet project”, it said. The girl filed the petition with the state government after the Kerala High Court rejected her plea seeking to be attired in full-sleeves and headscarf (hijab) for Student Police uniform. The court, however, had directed that she was free to submit a representation before the government narrating her grievance raised in the writ petition. She submitted the representation before the state government in compliance with the judgment of the high court. The student had moved the court after the faculty of the Student Police Cadets informed her that wearing head scarf and full sleeve dress according to Islamic beliefs would not be allowed. The hijab has also been at the centre of controversy in Karnataka with a row erupting in 2021 after the then BJP government in an order said uniforms were compulsory and no exception would be made for wearing the hijab. In December 2021, six girls were barred from entering a classroom wearing a hijab in a government school in Udupi. The girls filed a petition in the Karnataka High Court – which in March 2022 upheld the ban and ruled that wearing the hijab is not ‘essential religious practice’.

The ruling was then appealed to the Supreme Court.

The two-judge bench apex court in October 2022 rendered a split decision – with Justice Hemant Gupta upholding the high court ruling and Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia rejecting it. The bench at the time directed that the matter be placed before the Chief Justice of India (CJI) for appropriate directions. The Supreme Court has since stated that it will create a three-judge bench to hear the matter. With inputs from agencies Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News , India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.