Chinmay Pandey

Cases involving allegations of religious identity concealment, exploitation, abduction, sexual assault, blackmail and pressure for religious conversion continued to be reported from different parts of India during the week of August 11 to August 17, 2026.

The question of wearing hijab in educational institutions and examination settings has repeatedly come before Indian courts, bringing constitutional rights, religious practices, institutional autonomy and prescribed dress codes into legal focus. Over the years, courts have examined whether wearing a headscarf can be claimed as an Essential Religious Practice under Article 25 of the Constitution and whether educational institutions can enforce uniform and dress-code rules.

The week from June 29 to July 05, 2026, a series of reported incidents highlighted allegations of religious targeting, attempts at unlawful conversion, attacks on Hindu religious institutions, and disputes involving alleged hate speech against Hindu beliefs and communities across India and Bangladesh.