Mangaluru: Popular Front of India (PFI) and Campus Front of India (CFI) has termed the anti-Hijab agitation launched by a group of students belonging to Hindutva groups as “undemocratic.”
PFI and CFI have urged concerned authorities to maintain the status quo in allowing Muslim girls to wear uniform scarf (hijab), as per CD news.
A section of the anti-hijab agitators of Dr K Shivarama Karantha Government First Grade College in Bellare in Sullia taluk have started wearing saffron shawls in the class to “protest” against a college lecturer and some Muslim girls wearing hijab.
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CFI Karnataka unit, in a media release, has demanded religious freedom for Muslim girls. It pointed out that Muslim girls studying in the college have been wearing scarf as per their Constitutional and religious freedom for several years.
“Though Muslim girls were wearing scarf as per tradition for several years, it has never been an issue and neither had it created any obstacle in the college. Wearing scarf is a compulsory dress code for women in Islam. Our Constitution agrees to it. Further, scarf is a symbol of respect for women too,” the release stated.
“Everyone in India has their own customs and traditions and our nation has unity in diversity. Hence, we must learn to live harmoniously by respecting each other in India. However, it is unfortunate that a section of students have been opposing Muslim girls wearing scarf with communal agenda. Students and their parents have already met the principal and submitted a memorandum urging the college authorities to allow scarf for Muslim girls and uphold the Constitutional values,” the release added.