PANAJI
Expressing deep concern with the turn of events around the incidents of students visiting Masjid as part of a programme in Vasco, the Students Islamic Organization of India (SIOI) Goa Zone has rubbished allegations that the students were forced to wear Hijab.
A principal of a private higher secondary school in Dabolim was suspended after he allegedly took a group of students to a Mosque on the invitation of the SIOI as part of an initiative to promote communal harmony.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, SIOI Goa Zone President Usman Khan said that the allegations like we forced the students to wear Hijab are completely baseless.
“We never attempt to do any activity that will force student to do anything against their consent,” he said.
Khan said that the organisation is deeply concerned with the turn of events around the students visit to Masjid programme as the same was organised to emphasise that all religions share common values and goals.
He said that SIO Goa has been organising this activity for students and general public for almost a decade now.
“The motto of this activity has always been to clear the misunderstanding of our fellow brothers from other faiths, including Hindu and Christian communities about various aspects of Islam. We were being asked regularly why women cannot enter the mosque, what happens inside the mosque, whom do muslims pray to and so on,” Khan said.
He said that the event was organised to clear these doubts and to promote a general spirit of amity.
“However, it is unfortunate that the activity has been portrayed negatively by a small section of people with a political motivation. Misunderstandings are deliberately created and there is an effort to malign such positive initiatives that bring people together,” Khan said adding, “through media we came to know Vishwa Hindu Parishad members are behind this.”
SIOI has urged the civil society to stand with such initiatives which are aimed at creating a positive environment in the society and not to fall prey to propaganda and tendencies which believe in communalising and misleading the society.
The organisation has also appealed to the education department to encourage such activities so that communal harmony prevails.
