"The State actions which restrict the fundamental rights and educational rights of Muslim students are a continuation of the anti-Muslim hate campaigns carried out by the Sangh Parivar. Ban on the hijab in Karnataka is part of this." K Muraleedharan, MP, said that the interference of Governor Arif Mohammad Khan in reinforcing the agenda of the RSS could not be accepted at any cost. He added that the silence of the public is dangerous as the Sangh Parivar government is advancing with the decision to deny education to hundreds of students. He was speaking at the inauguration of the Hijab Dignity March organized by the Fraternity Movement at the Raj Bhavan under the theme "Defend Hindutva Racism".
The Sangh Parivar is trying to implement the Karnataka model hijab ban across the country. This is a covert attempt to marginalize Muslim students and exclude them from the education system.
Through the forced disappearance of Najeeb Ahmed and the systematic assassination of Rohit Vemula and Fatima Latif, the Sangh Parivar seeks to expel Muslim-Dalit-backward students from the education system itself. In his keynote address at the event, Fraternity Movement All India President Shamsir Ibrahim said that the ban on hijab in Karnataka was a continuation of this expulsion attempt.
Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan is openly taking the interest and ideas of the Sangh Parivar. He added that the governor's RSS slavery and anti-Muslim sentiments are unacceptable.
Addressing the march, Welfare Party state general secretary KA Shafiq pointed out that the Fraternity Movement is a student-youth group that has played a leading role in the citizenship movement and is capable of waging strong protests against the ban on the hijab. The denial of hijab in SPC in Kerala is a continuation of the Hindutva-ethnic interests pursued by the government. He added that the move by the Kerala government would strengthen the ban on hijab in various states of the country.
There are reports of hijab being banned in many educational institutions in the state.
Najda Raihan, state president of the Fraternity Movement, who chaired the program, said efforts to turn educational institutions into breeding grounds for anti-Muslim sentiment would be defeated. She added that the Fraternity Movement would resist management's decisions to pursue the anti - Muslim interests of the RSS.
GIO State President Adv: Tamanna Sultana, SIO State General Secretary Anwar Salahuddin, Shabana CA (KVG Law College Student, Sullia, Karnataka), Santosh Kumar (KPMS District Secretary) and Welfare Party District President NM Ansari addressed the march. Archana Prajith, State General Secretary, Fraternity Movement welcomed the gathering and Ashraf KK concluded. The Hijab Dignity March, which was attended by thousands of students and youth, started from the Martyrs' Hall and proceeded through the museum to the Raj Bhavan. Police blocked the march with a barricade in front of the Raj Bhavan. Police fired water cannon several times as they tried to cross and break the barricade.
Throughout the march, slogans against the RSS and the governor and for the protection of rights were raised.
State leaders S Mujibur Rahman, KM Shefrin, Mahesh Thonakkal, Fasna Mian, Adil A, Latif PH, Shahin Shihab, Amin Riaz, Syed Umar Thangal and Tashreef KP led the march.