The Indian Charge d’Affaires summoned to Islamabad over the hijab controversy on Thursday said that Pakistan should ‘track their own record’ before throwing ‘baseless’ accusations against India, Indian media reported citing diplomatic officials.
The Indian envoy Suresh Kumar told his counterparts in the Pakistan foreign office that ‘India is a secular country’ and ‘processes are in place’. Earlier in the day, Pakistan’s foreign office reported that an Indian diplomat had conveyed Pakistan’s deep concern over alleged religious intolerance, negative stereotyping, stigmatization and discrimination against Muslims in India.
A statement issued by Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson said, ‘The Charge d’ Affaires was urged to convey to the Government of India, Pakistan’s extreme concern over the anti-hijab campaign, being spearheaded by RSS-BJP combine in Karnataka, which is part of its larger exclusionist and majoritarian agenda aimed at dehumanizing and demonizing Muslim women’.
Using the statement as a basis, PTI reported that the Indian government should ensure the safety, security and well-being of Muslim women in Karnataka by holding the perpetrators of harassment to account. In southern Karnataka state, hijab protests began on February 4 at the Government Girls PU college in Udupi district when students claimed that they were not permitted to wear the headscarf (a headscarf worn by Muslim girls).
According to a circular issued by the pre-university education board, students are only allowed to wear the uniform approved by the school administration and no other religious practices are allowed. In response to the protests, the Department of Higher Education and the Department of Collegiate and Technical Education both declared a three-day holiday from February 9 to 11.
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