JOIN USThe administrators of Magadh Mahila College have issued a diktat prohibiting students from wearing jeans, sleeveless tops and kurtas on the college campus on the grounds that such dresses are “provocative”.
The directive, issued on Monday, comes close on the heels of girls in the neighbouring Jharkhand capital Ranchi being threatened with acid attack if they wear jeans and tops without dupatta. The officials of the college denied any connection with the Ranchi diktat.
However, they said the dress code was issued following complaints that girls were wearing provocative clothes inviting “unnecessary” trouble.
Magadh Mahila has thus become the second institute after Patna Women’s College to enforce a dress code on girls.
“It’s true that we have prohibited girls from wearing jeans and sleeveless tops. We have asked teachers to inspect the classes and strictly warn those flouting the directive before penalising them. The dress code is in the larger interest of the girls,” said Prof Shashi Sharma.
But neither the girls nor the women’s organisations are happy over the fashion policing. “Are we living in the 21st century? If tight jeans and short kurtas can be provocative, then why not ban sari too? It exposes the midriff more than it covers,” an agitated student, who refused to be identified, told Deccan Herald. “What needs to be changed is not the dress, but the mindset,” she fumed.
The logic behind the diktat, that crimes against women are going up because they are wearing provocative dress, has drawn flak from the women’s groups. “More and more girls are raped in rural areas of Bihar. They don’t wear tight jeans or sleeveless kurta.
Therefore, the argument that girls will be safe in traditional dress is illogical,” said social activist Kanchan Bala.