KOLKATA: The outrage and resentment over a ban on wearing of hijab at seminaries in an Indian state are spreading, not just in India itself but abroad as well.
At least one Indian parliamentarian has expostulated the ban as has a Nobel laureate. Pakistan’s foreign minister has also counted in on the matter.
For their part, hundreds of scholars in Kolkata on Wednesday chanted taglines and blocked roads in a kick against the ban.
MP Shashi Tharoor of the Congress party said there’s no law banning religious forms of dress in India. “ (T) then is no law banning religious forms of dress like a Sikh turban or a crucifix around your neck or a tilak on the forepart, all of which are interdicted in France’s government seminaries but permitted in India’s,” he said in response to a question.
The row also drew in Malala Yousafzai, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, who asked Indian leaders in a tweet to “ stop the marginalisation of Muslim women”.
FM Qureshi, Shashi Tharoor, and Malala condemn decision.
“ Refusing to let girls go to academy in their hijabs is horrifying. Incorporation of women persists for wearing less or more,” she said in a tweet late on Tuesday.
“College is forcing us to choose between studies and the hijab”.
Refusing to let girls go to school in their hijabs is horrifying. Objectification of women persists — for wearing less or more. Indian leaders must stop the marginalisation of Muslim women. https://t.co/UGfuLWAR8I
Original media reported last week that several seminaries in Karnataka had denied entry to Muslim girls wearing the hijab citing an education ministry order, egging demurrers from parents and scholars.
Hindu scholars mounted counter-protests, swarming to seminaries in recent days in support of the ban, forcing the Karnataka state government to shut seminaries and sodalities for three days to ease pressures between the two communities.
The protesting scholars in Kolkata on Wednesday were generally women wearing hijabs, a viewer said, adding the demonstrations were without incident. The scholars said that they planned to reconvene on Thursday.
Demurrers have also been planned in New Delhi.
The government of Karnataka, where 12 per cent of the population is Muslim and which is ruled by Hindu nationalist BJP, has said in an order that scholars should follow dress canons set by seminaries.
India’s technology mecca Bangalore banned demurrers around seminaries and other educational institutions for two weeks on Wednesday.
Pakistan’s station
Criticizing the ban, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said it was a grave violation of abecedarian mortal rights and prompted the transnational community to take notice of the situation.
“ The world must realise that this is part of Indian state plan of ghettoisation of Muslims,” he said in response to an incident in Karnataka where a mob of Hindu crazies taunted a hijab- sheathe Muslim girl.
Depriving Muslim girls of an education is a grave violation of fundamental human rights. To deny anyone this fundamental right & terrorise them for wearing a hijab is absolutely oppressive. World must realise this is part of Indian state plan of ghettoisation of Muslims.
The minister said nonage communities in India continued to suffer mistreatment, which was a matter of grave concern. India claimed to be a champion of denomination and republic, while in fact Muslim citizens there were facing restrictions indeed over their vesture.
Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi, special representative to the high minister on religious harmony and president of the Pakistan Ulema Council, blazoned on Wednesday that Friday would be observed as a day of solidarity with “ daughters of India”.
