Pune: Twenty two-year-old engineering student Chaitra Date always wears a scarf to college to protect herself from city pollution.
But now she may now have to do without it, for the new Pune Police Commissioner Satyapal Singh plans to ban the practice as a security measure. He says wearing a scarf conceals identity.
But even before his suggestion can be implemented, angry students have waged a war of words against it.
“This is ridiculous. Why are they banning scarves? We need to protect our hair and face from pollution. Even helmets hide faces but they are compulsory. Why don't they ban helmets?” Chaitra asks.
"This is not a solution. Even Muslim women wear burkhas. How will they stop them? We just want to cover our faces. You can't stop us from wearing what we want,” Amruta Kulkarni, another student irritated by the proposal, says.
But the plan hasn’t met resistance from all the students.
“Terrorism is on the rise and police wants to be more strict and increase security so it’s okay," says another student Anuradha Joshi.
Singh says that even though the ban has not been implemented so far, he hopes that the youth in the city will understand the need for tighter security measures.
“I appeal to the people of Pune, especially young girls, that they should understand that it is in their own interest. As of now we have not taken any decision but I hope in near future most of intelligent young people in the city will come forward and support the move," Singh said.
Pune has about 3.5 lakh women who use two-wheelers and most wear such protective scarves. It remains to be seen whether they abide by the orders of the police chief.
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