Opposition MPs walk out of Lok Sabha over hijab row

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said atrocities were being committed on Muslim girls for wearing hijab

Opposition MPs belonging to eight parties – Congress, DMK, CPI(M), CPI, VCK, MDMK, Muslim League, and JMM – walked out of the Lok Sabha on Tuesday over the hijab row in Karnataka, saying wearing it is not a crime and demanding a statement from the Centre on where it stands on the issue.

The issue was raised by Leader of Congress Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury. He said atrocities are being committed on Muslim girls for wearing hijab.

“Hindus wear tilak on their forehand. Muslim women wear hijab. Wearing a hijab is not a crime. An atmosphere of fear has been created,” Chowdhury said, referring to the hijab row in Karnataka.

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Shivakumar Udasi, a BJP MP from Karnataka, countered Chowdhury and said the Congress was making an unnecessary hue and cry over the issue though there are several court orders which said that law and order should get precedence.

He said the issue was a state subject and the Karnataka government has issued a rule on this and the subject is subjudice. So this should not be allowed to raise.

As Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla went ahead with the general discussion on Budget, Chowdhury announced the walkout saying what they were demanding was a statement from the government on the issue.

Congress MP Hibi Eden also submitted an adjournment motion in the House seeking an immediate discussion on the issue but was not allowed. Eden said several educational institutions in Karnataka have started to bar students from wearing the hijab. “Wearing a hijab is a fundamental right of students. Violation of Article 25 of the Constitution by the Karnataka government shows their negligence,” he said.

Chowdhury told reporters that some sort of moral policing is happening in the country on sisters of the Muslim community, creating a huge fissure in the society.