Hijab bans \u2018violate religious freedom\u2019, says US official
\n New Delhi
\nIndia\u2019s Ministry of External Affairs on Saturday said \u201cmotivated comments\u201d on New Delhi\u2019s internal matters are \u201cnot welcome\u201d as the country faces criticism over banning hijab in colleges and schools of a southern state.
\nThe spokesperson of the ministry, Arindam Bagchi, said the \u201cmatter regarding dress codes in some educational institutions in the state of Karnataka is under judicial examination by the Honourable High Court of Karnataka. Our constitutional framework and mechanisms, as well as our democratic ethos and polity, are the context in which issues are considered and resolved\u201d.
\nPakistan on Wednesday condemned the \u201creprehensible act\u201d of banning Muslim students from wearing hijab in the Indian state of Karnataka and summoned Indian Charge d\u2019 Affaires in Islamabad and conveyed to him the government of Pakistan\u2019s grave concern over the incident.
\nThe summon came after students at a government-run high school in the Indian state were told not to wear hijabs last month, an edict that soon spread to other educational institutions in the state.
\nA hijab-clad student was also heckled and jeered at by a mob of Hindutva supporters in Karnataka on Tuesday.
\nUnited States Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom Rashad Hussain has criticised the hijab ban. He said the Indian state \u201cshould not determine permissibility of religious clothing\u201d.
\nThe US State Department official added that hijab bans in schools \u201cviolate religious freedom and stigmatize and marginalise women and girls\u201d.
\nOn the other hand, the highest court of India has refused to hear the hijab ban plea and has stated that \u201cit will only interfere at an appropriate time\u201d.
\nA girl in the Indian state of Karnataka had approached the apex court after the state\u2019s high court on Thursday advised students to avoid wearing \u201creligious garments\u201d until it decides on a case involving hijab restrictions in schools and colleges.
\nA ban on the Islamic headscarves at schools has prompted an outcry among Muslims in southern India, with large crowds taking to the streets to protest against the restrictions.
\nThe stand-off in Karnataka state has galvanised fears among the minority Muslim community about what they say is increasing persecution under the Hindu nationalist government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
\nIn one incident in a video widely shared online, a lone Muslim student wearing the hijab is surrounded by Hindu male youths shouting religious slogans while trying to enter her school in Karnataka.
\nThe government of Karnataka, where 12% of the population is Muslim and which is ruled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi\u2019s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has said in an order that students should follow dress codes set by schools.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Hijab bans \u2018violate religious freedom\u2019, says US official New Delhi India\u2019s Ministry of External Affairs on Saturday said \u201cmotivated comments\u201d on New Delhi\u2019s internal matters are \u201cnot welcome\u201d as the country faces criticism over banning hijab in colleges and schools of a southern state. The spokesperson of the ministry, Arindam Bagchi, said the \u201cmatter regarding […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-244119","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n