Refusing to let girls go to school in hijabs is ‘horrifying’: Malala Yousafzai on Karnataka hijab row

Amid ongoing controversy over wearing hijab to colleges in Karnataka, Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai said that ‘refusing to let girls go to school in their hijabs is horrifying’.

"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," wrote Yousafzai on Twitter.

“College is forcing us to choose between studies and the hijab”.

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. https://t.co/UGfuLWAR8I

— Malala (@Malala) February 8, 2022

Meanwhile, reports of some protests turning violent came to light. In Bagalkot, the police had to resort to lathicharge to disperse a group which resorted to stone-pelting and have detained some of them.

Cops resort to Lathi charge near govt PU college in Bagalkot's Rabkavi Banhatti town after talks to disperse swelling crowds failed. Two groups had gathered protesting over the #KarnatakaHijabRow . pic.twitter.com/HJv3gIG53N

— Deepak Bopanna (@dpkBopanna) February 8, 2022

In Shivmogga district, stones were pelted at a bus, forcing the police to baton-charge to control the situation and district administration to clamp prohibitory orders.

A hijab-wearing student at PES College in Mandya was allegedly heckled with Jai Sri Ram slogans and the female student 'retorted' by saying 'Allahu Akbar'. One of the college staff immediately resolved the matter and escorted the female student to a separate place.

#HijabRow #saffronshawls
When a lone girl student arrives to college in #Mandya wearing Hijab, she gets heckled by students wearing Saffron Shawls who chanted #JaiSriRam.In reply she raises hand to say #AllahuAkbar@XpressBengaluru @santwana99 @NewIndianXpress @KannadaPrabha pic.twitter.com/gRt4hEseZI

— Karthik K K (@Karthiknayaka) February 8, 2022

Tension also prevailed at the MGM college at Manipal in Udupi after two groups of students wearing hijabs and saffron shawls raised slogans against each other on the campus. College staff made efforts to convince both the groups, but they refused to relent.

Karnataka MGM College Udupi students ask 'If they are allowed inside with hijab. We should be also allowed with our Saffron shawls & Saffron turbans'  pic.twitter.com/O41JwiH6Z6

— Naweed (@Spoof_Junkey) February 8, 2022

Following unprecedented protests over the hijab row, Karnataka govt has ordered that all high schools and colleges to be shut for next 3 days. (Inputs from UNI)