After UP kick in the pants,jeans back

Girls in colleges across UP need not bother about the diktats prohibiting them from wearing jeans.

Girls in colleges across UP need not bother about the diktats prohibiting them from wearing jeans. On Tuesday,the Department of Higher Education asked the district magistrates and vice-chancellors to ensure that such instructions were not enforced in any college in their jurisdiction. And within hours,four local girls colleges DG Degree College,AND College,Johari Devi Degree College and SN Sen Degree College which were the first to impose the ban,promptly complied.

The Government directive came a day after Uttar Pradesh Pracharya Parishad,which claims to represent principals of government-aided colleges across the state,said it had decided to prohibit wearing of jeans by girls to curb eve-teasing.

Parishad spokesman Ashok Kumar Srivastava had described jeans as a provocative dress and that it encouraged

eve-teasers.

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However,several college principals had refused to accept the Parishad decision. Lucknow University Associated Colleges Principal Association President Dr SP Singh had even called it a Talibani farman.

Rizvi said the Parishad was not recognised by the government and its decision held no significance. No one has the right to issue any such order which is against the law. We have asked such colleges to withdraw the instructions regarding the dress code for girls. If they do not,then disciplinary action would be initiated against them as per the University Act, Rizvi said.

Government instructions were conveyed to college principals at a meeting called by District Magistrate Anil Kumar Sagar.

After the meeting,DG Degree College principal Meeta Jamal said,The motive behind our decision was to eliminate eve-teasing and bring discipline,but if the state government is unwilling no dress code will be enforced.

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Principal of Johari Devi Degree College Baby Rani Agarwal said she had not received any instructions but once this happened, the restrictions would be lifted.