Over 1,000 groups, individuals condemn 'targeting, exclusion' of hijab-wearing Muslim students
New Delhi, Feb 10: More than 1,000 feminists, democratic groups, collectives, academicians, lawyers and individuals from various walks of life came together to condemn the "targeting and exclusion" of hijab-wearing Muslim students on Thursday, while alleging that the head scarf is only the latest pretext to impose an "apartheid" on Muslim women.
In an open letter signed by over 1,850 people, the signatories stated that they firmly believe that the Constitution mandates schools and colleges to nurture plurality, not uniformity.
"Uniforms in such institutions are meant to minimise the differences between students of different and unequal economic classes. They are not intended to impose cultural uniformity on a plural country. This is why Sikhs are allowed to wear turbans not only in the classroom but even in police and the Army," they said.
"This is why Hindu students wear bindi/pottu/tilak/vibhuti with school and college uniforms without comment or controversy. And likewise, Muslim women should be able to wear hijabs with their uniforms," they added.
The letter further states that "making hijabi women sit in separate classrooms or move from colleges of their choice to Muslim-run colleges is nothing but apartheid".
The letter was endorsed by more than 130 groups across 15 states, including All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA), All India Progressive Women's Association (AIPWA), National Federation of Indian Women, Bebaak Collective, Saheli Women's Resource Centre, Awaaz-e-Nizwan, National Alliance of People's Movements, Forum Against Oppression of Women, People's Union for Civil Liberties, Dalit Women's Collective, National Federation of Dalit Women, Women Against Sexual Violence and State Repression and Feminists In Resistance.
Protests for and against the hijab have intensified in parts of Karnataka. The demonstrations turned violent in some places on Tuesday after the government in the southern state issued an order last week making uniforms prescribed by it or the management of private institutions mandatory for students in schools and pre-university colleges.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition Congress have hit out at each other over the controversy.
Activists of the Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) had put up banners in Maharashtra's Beed city on Monday in support of hijab for Muslim students.
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Congress using hijab issue to pacify minority anger, alleges Karnataka LoP R Ashoka
Bengaluru: Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashoka has accused the Congress government of using the hijab issue to placate what he described as discontent among minority voters after the Davanagere by-election.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Ashoka alleged that the state government, instead of addressing issues such as price rise, corruption, farmers’ distress and law and order, was attempting to retain its minority vote base by reviving the hijab issue.
Referring to the 2022 dress code introduced by the BJP government, which prohibited hijab in schools and colleges, Ashoka said the Karnataka High Court had upheld the policy and emphasised the importance of discipline in educational institutions.
He questioned the Congress government’s move to revisit the issue and asked whether setting aside the court-backed policy to benefit one community could be described as secularism.
Ashoka further alleged that while the government was willing to permit hijab, it continued to prohibit saffron shawls.
He accused the government of dividing students on religious lines rather than treating schools and colleges as spaces of equality.
Drawing a comparison with Mamata Banerjee’s government in West Bengal, Ashoka claimed that excessive appeasement politics had harmed the state and warned that the Congress in Karnataka could face a similar political response.
He said voters in Karnataka would teach the Congress a lesson for what he termed “vote-bank politics” and for compromising constitutional and judicial principles.
