Assam Chief Minister: Al Qaeda won't understand, but Indian Muslims will

Hishamanta Biswa Sarma, the chief minister of Assam, said on Wednesday that Indian Muslims would not heed Ayman Al Zawahiri's call and get caught up in the hijab controversy after the Karnataka High Court ruled on the matter.

He said Muslims of the country will follow the ruling and adhere to the basic tenets of education in the country.

"India is a democracy. Karnataka High Court has given a clear verdict that it is not expected of students to wear anything like a hijab to school or college. If you wear hijab, I will wear something and then schools and colleges will become a place of display of religious clothes or behaviour. How can schools and colleges continue then?" he said to media.

Uniforms are used in educational institutions to ensure equal opportunity for all students, but Al Qaeda will not understand that, the senior BJP leader noted.

"But Indian Muslims will understand. I am sure they are with the judiciary and with the basic tenants of our education system," he said.

According to a video released by the terror outfit's mouthpiece on Tuesday, Ayman al-Zawahiri showed praise for Karnataka student Muskan Khan, who raised a 'Allah-hu-Akbar' slogan after being heckled by a right-wing Hindu mob shouting 'Jai Shri Ram' in February.

"We will fight the perceived assault on Islam intellectually, with the media as well as with weapons if need be" he said as he reiterated the ban on hijab in educational institutions according to a Kartanaka court order.