Hyderabad: Amidst protests by Muslim students in Karnataka after two Karnataka colleges denied entry to hijab wearing girl students into the classrooms, netizens show solidarity with the students who are fighting for their fundamental right to practice religion. Hijabisourright is trending on twitter, a microblogging and social networking service.
Parliamentarian, Shashi Tharoor came in support to the Muslim students, tweeting: “It’s been a strength of India that everyone is free to wear what they want. If the hijab is disallowed, what about the Sikh turban? The Hindu’s forehead mark? The Christian’s crucifix? This college is going down a slippery slope. Let the girls in. Let them study. Let THEM decide.”
Journalist Arfa Khanum Sherwani called it a form of religious apartheid for India’s Muslims. She tweeted: “You don’t have to be a supporter of Hijab to support the women students of Karnataka. You only have to believe in the constitution of India that guarantees the freedom of religion to all its citizens. In no unclear words, it is a form of religious apartheid for India’s Muslims.”
SIO of India, the students wing of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind condemned the incident by saying: “The act of closing gates for girls with #hijab to prevent them from entering college by college principal in Kundapur, Karnataka is highly deplorable. Abrupt and arbitrary steps like these, from concerned authorities, cannot be justified under any pretext. (1/8) #HijabisOurRight”
One of the twitter users, Aafrin wrote, “HIJAB Is My CROWN Wearing HIJAB Is Not CRIME.”
Another twitter user, Mohd Abdus Sattar, shared the video of a hijabi woman member of UK’s Youth Parliament who raised valid questions in support of hijab.
He tweeted: “#Hijab wearing young member of Youth Parliament is questioning: Why people are more worried about the PIECE of FABRIC on my HEAD than my ABILITY to SUCCEED in the life…?!!”
Twitter user Ingrid Bergman tweeted: “#HijabisOurRight More power to the students seeking their right to education. No space for rabid bigots in educational institutions.”
Calling it Islamophobia, another twitter user G Kris Nair wrote on his twitter handle: “Stop being Islamophobic and give the girls an education which they deserve. The Youth are India’s future. More power to these students !”
