Bikini, Ghoonghat Or Hijab, It’s Woman’s Right To Decide What She Wants To Wear: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra
Mumbai: Citing the Indian Constitution, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday defended girl students wearing hijab and said women have the right to decide what they want to wear.
“Whether it is a bikini, a ghoonghat, a pair of jeans or a hijab, it is a woman’s right to decide what she wants to wear. This right is guaranteed by the Indian constitution. Stop harassing women”, she wrote on the micro-blogging site Twitter.
https://twitter.com/priyankagandhi/status/1491266789179011075?s=20&t=Xqb6DXogwnKrSKjOsOifxQ
Her statement comes as the hijab controversy, which first erupted in January at a government PU college in Udupi, where six students wearing headscarves in violation of the prescribed dress code, were asked to leave the campus, has spread to different parts of the state with Hindu students too responding by turning up in saffron shawls. Saffron-clad students are also being barred from entering classes. Also Read: Karnataka Hijab Row: Jamiat Announces Rs 5 Lakh Reward For Hijab-Wearing Student
The controversy has also taken a political turn, as the ruling BJP stands in support of uniform rules being enforced by educational institutions that label headscarves as a religious symbol, while the opposition Congress is in support of Muslim girls.
Earlier in the day, legendary laureate Malala Yousafzai criticized the situation as “terrible”. Taking to Twitter, she reacted to the ongoing controversy and urged Indian leaders to stop the marginalization of Muslim women. Also Read: Malala Tweets On Hijab Ban In Karnataka College, Says ‘Stop Marginalisation Of Muslim Women’
“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”, Malala said.
The controversy started last month when a government PU college in Udupi asked six students to wear headscarves and leave the campus in violation of the prescribed dress code. Since then, the protests have spread to various parts of the state and beyond.
In addition, some Hindu students and groups have responded to the agitation with saffron shawls and other similar protests. Recently the protests have turned violent.
Incidents of stone-pelting were reported on Tuesday and police used force and fired tear gas to control the situation. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai today announced a three-day holiday for all educational institutions.
Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and like us on Facebook for the latest updates and interesting stories.
