NO PURDAH (99 Jun 16)
There is uneasiness in Badulla following two female Muslim teachers in the Badulla Tamil Maha Vidyalaya deciding to wear the purdah. The principal of the school, a Tamil lady had objected to this and the two teachers had gone before the supreme court. The supreme court had decided that the two Muslim teachers should be allowed to wear the purdah if they so desired.
However the Tamil students had protested against the two teachers wearing the purdah even after the court decision. The Tamil students had boycotted classes and they had been joined by about 4000 Tamil students in the neighbouring schools.
The Muslims are only following the Tamils in Sri Lanka in trying to forcefully exhibit their cultural identity and it is ironical that the Tamils have objected to the Muslims when the latter were only following the former. This incident also reveals that the politics has not changed much from the last century when the Muslims fought against Tamil hegemony over the representation in the school committees.