As tensions continue to escalate in Karnataka, with Hindu students protesting against Muslim girls wearing the hijab in educational institutions, women from the minority community have come out in support of the girls and have registered their protests in several parts of India.
On Wednesday, 9 February, Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh, which had become the focal point of anti-CAA protests, saw a march led by women in support of the girls wearing hijab.
Meanwhile, at a private college in Madhya Pradesh’s Bhopal, girls protested against the events unfolding in Karnataka, by wearing the hijab and playing football and cricket.
One of the girls said, "Hijab is our right, no one can take it away from us. We can play while wearing the hijab, study and even become an IAS by wearing the hijab."
The girl students added that the government should leave the hijab alone and focus on the students' academics.
Students of educational institutions in Hyderabad, such as the Anwarul Uloom College in Mallepally, and the Government Nizamia Tibbi College, an Unani medicine college located near Charminar, also protested on Wednesday.
The students protesting in Anwarul Uloom College held a banner that read, "Hijab is the Constitutional Rights of Muslim Women. Hijab is our right and no one shall snatch it from us. We Support Hijab," The News Minute reported.
Meanwhile, during the protest held at the Nizamia Tibbi College, one of the students was quoted as saying:
"We are protesting against the injustice of the hijab ban in Bengaluru. Hijab is not a new thing, it’s an age-old practice. This ban is a divisive political tactic. But India will rise together against this and teach the detractors a lesson."
Further, a mass prayer gathering was held at Ujale Shah Eidgah in Saidabad by over 200 women.
They prayed for the safety and security of the women who have been facing harassment for wearing the hijab. To prevent any untoward incident, a large number of police personnel were also deployed near the Eidgah Ujale Shah Grounds, Telangana Today reported.
Earlier on Sunday, Girls Islamic Organisation, Telangana (GIO) had held a protest in solidarity at 7 Tombs Road in Toli Chowki.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Police detained several activists protesting in front of the Delhi University on Thursday, 10 February, reported Maktoob Media.
"Fraternity Movement, SIO, DSU, Bscem, CFI activists of Delhi University got detained by Delhi police while protesting infront of the University," tweeted Meer Faisal, a journalist with Maktoob Media.
A single-judge bench of the Karnataka High Court on Wednesday had referred the petitions filed by Muslim students over their right to wear hijabs in classrooms to the chief justice of the court for consideration by a three-judge bench.
The three-judge bench will hear the matter on Thursday, at 2:30 pm.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the Karnataka Police banned gatherings, agitations, and protests of any kind within a 200-metre radius of educational institutions in Bengaluru city for a period of two weeks.
This comes after tensions escalated in Karnataka on Tuesday, with Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai ordering the closure of all high schools and colleges for three days as several students donning saffron scarves continued their protests against Muslim girls wearing hijab.
(With inputs from The News Minute and Telangana Today.)
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