Nobel laureate and women’s rights activist Social activist Malala Yousafzai today reacted to the ongoing controversy over certain educational institutions in Karnataka banning the entry of students wearing a Hijab and urged Indian leaders to end the marginalisation of Muslim women. Expressing concern about female students not being permitted to attend classes while wearing hijab in Karnataka, she termed the incident as ‘horrifying’.
“‘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,” she said in a tweet.
Malala’s statement came after the decision by some colleges to ban the entry of students wearing a hijab led to protests and clashes with reports of incidents like stone-pelting and lathicharge in several districts of the state. This forced the state chief minister Basavaraj Bommai to announce the closure of the schools for three days.
After some aggrieved girls approached the Karnataka High Court challenging the order, a single-judge bench hearing the plea referred the matter to a larger bench today while refusing any interim relief to the petitioners.
Meanwhile, BJP and Opposition parties continued to trade charges over the issue. Karnataka Education Minister BC Nagesh maintained that the state government’s order banning the hijab remains in force till the court delivers its verdict. “Since the court has not passed any order to provide interim relief to the students, the government notification will continue to remain in effect. Uniform is compulsory for students to attend classes,” said Education Minister BC Nagesh.