Turkish non-governmental organizations (NGOs) on Saturday held a protest in Istanbul against a ban on the Muslim headscarf or hijab in the indian state of Karnataka.
Organized by the Free Thought and Educational Rights Society (Özgürder) and the Association for Human rights and solidarity for the Oppressed (Mazlumder), the demonstration took place around indian consulate after muslim girls were banned from classes in some indian colleges for wearing the hijab.
Addressing the protest, Özgürder chairman Rıdvan Kaya said the ban was the highlight of anti-Muslim tendencies and Indian nationalism, emboldened in these last years.
He also pointed out that the “removal” of 200 millions of Indian Muslims must disappear.
Human rights activist and lawyer Gülden Sönmez, for for his part, stressed that the ban was unacceptable.
“We do not approve of a ban on clothes of the members of regardless of religion,” she said.
the hijab the row started when female Muslim students were banned last months after taking courses in a government University in the Udupi district of the southwestern province of Karnataka as they were wearing the scarf.
Udupi is one of three quarters in The religiously sensitive coast of the Karnataka region which is a stronghold of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The standoff has heightened fear and anger among minority Muslims, who say the country’s constitution grants them the freedom to wear what they want. Protests over the ban got worse, with hundreds of protesters this month in Kolkata and Chennai.
the issue assisted expressions of support for muslim girls, women the United States government and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai.
Recently, a state High Court judge returned motions challenging the ban to a more grand panel.
the issue is closely watched internationally as test of religious freedom guaranteed by the Indian Constitution. the bureau American of International Religious Freedom (IRF) on February 11 said the hijab bans “violating religious freedom and stigmatizing and marginalizing women and the girls.”
In response, the Indian Foreign Ministry said outside comments over internal issues were not welcome and the matter was under review.
