Internal matter, says India after US remarks on hijab row

Examinations will be held as scheduled in Karnataka, the state announced. Pic/ANI

After the United States and Pakistan waded in the Karnataka hijab row, the ministry of external affairs on Saturday said that "motivated comments" on India's internal issues are not welcome. The ministry said in a statement that the matter regarding dress code is under judicial examination.

"Our constitutional framework and mechanisms, as well as our democratic ethos and polity, are the context in which issues are considered and resolved," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in a statement. "Those who know India well would have a proper appreciation of those realities," he added. On Friday, a US government body that monitors and reports on religious freedom abroad had criticised Karnataka. Rashad Hussain, the Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom, or IRF, tweeted "hijab bans in schools violate religious freedom".

Meanwhile, a plea has been moved in the Supreme Court seeking direction to the Centre and states to implement a "common dress code" in registered and state recognised educational institutions in order to secure social equality, assure dignity and promote national integration. The plea filed by Nikhil Upadhyay, a resident of Ghaziabad, said that the role of universal education for strengthening the social fabric of democracy through provisions of equal opportunity to all has been accepted since the inception of our republic. "Dress code brings uniformity which is interlinked to order and peace," it said. The plea argued that in the US, the UK, France, Singapore and China, all schools and colleges adhere to a common dress code despite frequent challenges to the constitutionality of dress guidelines.

Bhopal Muslim cleric says, wear it

Bhopal-based Qazi Syed Mushtaq Ali Nadwi has appealed to all Muslim women to wear ‘burqa' and ‘hijab' regularly. The appeal was made during a traditional Friday's namaz (islamic prayer) at a mosque in Bhopal, saying that Muslim women have been showing reluctance in wearing burqa and hijab in the city while it should have been a regular practice.

K'taka BJP MLA says he gets threat calls

Amid the hijab row in Karnataka, Udupi BJP MLA Raghupathi Bhat has said that he has received threat calls. "The police suggested I get more security. I am safe among my people. This is enough and I don't want a gunman," Raghupathi Bhat said. "Pakistan TV and Al-Jazeera TV are portraying that hijab is banned in Udupi district. After seeing that many are making threatening calls. I have not spoken against any religion during the hijab row. I have spoken for discipline in colleges," he added.

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