Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president DK Shivakumar on Monday asked his party’s legislator BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan to apologize for his controversial statement linking rapes and wearing of the hijab.
Khan, however, flatly refused to say sorry.
“The Congress does not approve of Zameer's statement. We condemn that statement. We won't agree with that statement. I'll ask him to withdraw it and apologise,” Shivakumar told reporters.
Khan had courted controversy by suggesting that rapes will be fewer if women wear hijab-like clothing. “Hijab, known as gosha-parda, is to hide a woman’s beauty. India’s rape rates are high probably because women aren’t under gosha-pardah,” Khan told news agency ANI on Sunday.
An angry Shivakumar said the party’s stand was clear. “I had asked people not to speak on this issue, but they’re speaking. We’ll seek an explanation from them,” he said.
Khan is a loyalist of Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah.
Reacting to Shivakumar, Khan said he will neither withdraw his statement nor apologise. “Why should I withdraw? Why should I apologise,” he asked. “I have only explained why women wear the hijab and its benefits. Hijab is to keep women’s beauty away from (prying) eyes. It’s just like how full helmets have been made compulsory for motorists. It’s to keep them safe. Likewise, hijab will keep women safe,” he said.
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