Amid the growing outrage over Muslim female students banned from wearing hijab to college in Karnataka, Bhartiya Janata Party MP Pragya Thakur warned women against wearing headscarf in public at all, saying “it will not be tolerated”.
Controversial Pragya Thakur, who out on bail as a key accused in the Malegaon blasts terror case declared “there is no need to wear a hijab” because Hindus “worship women” and (in remarks seen as being blatantly communal) continued “people who are not safe in their houses need to wear a hijab”.
Speaking at an event organised in a temple in Madhya Pradesh’s Bhopal, she said, “No need to wear hijab anywhere. People who are not safe in their houses wear hijab. You have a madrasa. If you wear hijab there we have nothing to do… outside, where there is ‘Hindu samaj’, they are not required…”
“Hijab is purdah. Purdah should be (used) against those who see you with evil eyes, she adding “But it is certain Hindus don’t see them with evil eyes as they worship women. You should wear hijabs in your homes…”
At present, the Karnataka High Court is hearing a petition from the Udupi students. On Wednesday, the girls lawyers pointed out “hundreds of religious symbols – dupattas, bangles, turbans, crosses and bindis” were worn without question every day, but the hijab was targeted on religious grounds.
