Hijab-wearing Muslim women barred from entering cafe in Delhi

In yet another incident of Islamophobia in Modi-ruled India, hijab-wearing women have been barred from entering a café in Delhi.

The incident happened during lunch time at the Marbia Café in New Friends Colony near Jamia Millia Islamia University in South Delhi.

One of the victim women said, “The receptionist stopped us asking if we had a reservation to which we replied we didn’t but we will book a table right now. She then blatantly told us that burqas are not allowed”. “We were shocked and left the venue without arguing with her,” she said. As far as she’s aware no such policies exist in cafes, she said adding the fact that all other religious symbols are easily accepted in public spaces but not a Hijab-laden woman surprised her.

Later, the victims called the café to confirm whether what was told to them was true. “Firstly, they responded that they don’t allow hijab inside. When pressed for the reason, the man kept on repeating that it’s just their policy”.

Hijab-wearing women and students have often faced harassment at the hands of authorities amid increasing hate crimes against Muslims. The Delhi café case is the latest incident of harassment of Muslim women due to their religious attire.

The barring of hijab-wearing students from entering classes in Karnataka state under the Bharatiya Janata Party government in 2022 caused big outrage. The decision taken by the BJP state government then deprived Muslim girls of education.

In January, this year, the BJP Minister

Kirori Lal Meena in Rajasthan had called for a hijab ban in the schools of his state. In February, the authorities in the government high school of Jodhpur barred hijab-wearing students from entering the school.