Opposing the Karnataka government’s hijab ban and the controversy around it, Nationalist Congress Party’s (NCP) Pune city unit organised a protest at Mahatma Phule Wada Thursday morning.
More than 200 people, mostly women, gathered to stage a protest against the hijab ban at educational institutions.
Slogans such as “Betiyon ko bachana hai, isliye BJP ko bhagana hai (have to save, girls so have to oust BJP)” and “Bhajpa hatao, desh bachao (Oust BJP, save the country)” rent the air at the protest site.
Prashant Jagtap, the NCP’s city chief, said, “It was never our culture to disrespect women. Whatever happened with Muskan is shameful. Karnataka government cannot deny Muslim women’s right to wear hijabs. BJP, RSS and all Hindutva organisations are conspiring to divide our unity and play vote bank politics based on religion. I appeal to all the Hindus, it is not just about Muslim women, tomorrow they may compel Hindu women to wear ghoonghats and sit at home. Article 19 empowers us to live freely in any territory of the country.”
One of the protesters, Sumaiya Sheikh, a 22-year-old MCA student, said, “Education is the space where you grow, it should be bereft of politics. I have studied at a convent as well as a Hindu school and no one denied me entry for my hijab. Tomorrow they might ban wearing jeans, it is wrong. It is my body, my choice. We live in a democracy which is based on unity in diversity. But I firmly believe protests should be peaceful, stone pelting is totally wrong. If colleges have uniforms, that’s a different matter, everyone must follow it but if not, hijabs should be allowed.”
Social worker Shalantai Bhojane, 60, said, “I dressed up traditionally for the protest to show the diversity of our country. BJP has politicised the issue. Such restrictions don’t suit the Constitution given to us by Dr B R Ambedkar. If they do not stop this, we women will stage more intense protests.”
