New Delhi: When Karnataka educational authorities deny hijab worn students education, it is obvious people concerned with the fundamental human rights, within the country and abroad, raise their voice against the injustice.
As the hijab issue, which began in a college in Udupi where five students were denied college entry with their hijab on, turned out to a divisive matter, spreading across the state with the right wing fanning the ban, while the banned students protesting for their right to practise religion, attracted the international attention.
Many international figures, including Nobel Laureate Malala Yusufzai, have called out the restriction on hijab clad students in the education institution. The International Religious Freedom, a US government body that monitors and reports on religious freedom abroad, is the latest voice from abroad against the denying Muslim girls' education over hijab.
Rashad Hussain's, the Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom, tweet "hijab bans in schools violate religious freedom", however, did the matter more concerned for the Union government, prompting Arindam Bagchi, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, to issue a statement that "motivated comments on our internal issues are not welcome."
"A matter regarding dress code in some educational institutions in the State of Karnataka is under judicial examination by the Hon'ble High Court of Karnataka. Our constitutional framework and mechanisms, as well as our democratic ethos and polity, are the context in which issues are considered and resolved," Bagchi tweeted.
His tweets also added that the countries that know India well would have a proper understanding of the realities.
Many view Bagchi's tweet as the India's strong disagreement with the countries that question its internal issues.