Hijab row: India is secular country, we should behave accordingly, says Ajit Pawar

Ajit Pawar. File Pic

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar spoke up on the ongoing hijab controversy in Karnataka on Thursday.

He said, "Our country is a secular country and we should behave accordingly."

He added, "We should avoid incidents that can further divide society. It's unfortunate that some people are trying to gain political mileage out of it. Indian culture and Constitution don't teach us to divide people on caste and religious lines."

Meanwhile, addressing a rally Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur, PM Narendra Modi said that people are finding "new ways to block the rights and development of Muslim women" in India. He further said, that BJP government in Uttar Pradesh is essential to ensure that Muslim women are not oppressed.

The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to urgently list a plea challenging the Karanataka government rule on dress code that created a raging controversy over wearing hijab.

(With ANI inputs)