UP, 9/2: Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Wednesday waded into the hijab row, saying it is a woman’s right to decide what she wants to wear and she can wear a “bikini, a ghoonghat, a pair of jeans or a hijab”
Her comments came a day after violence witnessed in educational institutions in Karnataka against girl students who came wearing hijab.
“Whether it is a bikini, a ghoonghat, a pair of jeans or a hijab, it is a woman’s right to decide what she wants to wear. This right is guaranteed by the Indian constitution. Stop harassing women. #ladkihoonladsaktihoon,” Priyanka tweeted.
Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha Deputy Leader Priyanka Chaturvedi said on the hijab row, “young students have been reduced to shouting their religious slogans. Whether it is Jai Shri Ram or Allahu Akbar, do stop, pause and think what a student life is reduced to. Don’t celebrate either, there is nothing brave in becoming defenders of religious identities. Saddening.”
On Tuesday, Opposition MPs had walked out of the Lok Sabha 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 MPs from Congress, DMK, CPI(M), CPI, VCK, MDMK, Muslim League and JMM had staged the protest.
Top Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on February 5 had tweeted, “By letting students’ hijab come in the way of their education, we are robbing the future of the daughters of India. Ma Saraswati gives knowledge to all. She doesn’t differentiate. #SaraswatiPuja.”