Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said depriving education to Muslim girls over this hijab row is a grave violation of fundamental human rights. “Depriving Muslim girls of education is a grave violation of fundamental human rights. To deny anyone this fundamental right & terrorise them for wearing a hijab is absolutely oppressive. The world must realise this is part of Indian state plan of ghettoisation of Muslims,” the minister said.Terming India’s situation as ‘terrifying’, Pakistan’s information and broadcasting minister Ch Fawad Hussain said, “Indian Society is declining with super speed under unstable leadership. Wearing Hijab is a personal choice just as any other dress citizens must be given free choice.”
The hijab controversy started when some colleges in Karnataka refused entry to hijab-clad students. As the issue started flaring up, the education department said no dress that harms harmony, public order will be allowed in schools and colleges. This led to more protests in several parts of Karnataka, some of which turned violent forcing the government to shut all educational institutions.
The video of a second-year BCom student Muskan, clad in a burqa, confronting a group of male students outside a college has gone viral, drawing international attention. Activist Malala on Tuesday tweeted condemning the ‘marginalisation’ as she wrote, “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.”
