Hijab row: Malala Yousufzai urges Indian leaders to stop marginalisation of Muslim women

New Delhi: Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai reacted to the hijab controversy in Karnataka saying that "refusing to let girls go to school in their hijabs is horrifying" and urged the Indian leaders to stop the marginalisation of Muslim women.

The Nobel laureate, who had taken bullets from the Taliban in Pakistan in 2012 for speaking up about the rights of girls and their education tweeted that refusing to let girls go to school in their hijab is horrifying, adding objectification of women continued in one way or the other – for wearing less or more.

Malala made the remarks while sharing a news report on the hijab row where several Muslim students across various government colleges in Karnataka were banned from entering college premises wearing hijab.

The post has since provoked a sharp response from BJP MLA and party national general secretary CT Ravi.

"Who is this MOOLAH interfering in the internal affairs of India? Shouldn't she be hiding behind her burqa?," he replied to her tweet.

The controversy had begun last month after a government PU College in Udupi asked six students who had attended classes wearing head-scarf in violation of the stipulated dress code to leave campus. Since then, the protests have spread to various parts of the state and beyond.

At the same time, some Hindu students and groups have responded to the agitation with counter-protests, garbed in saffron shawls and the like. More recently, the protests have taken a violent turn.

Soon, the controversy spilled beyond the borders of Karnataka and surfaced in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh and Puducherry. A minister in Madhya Pradesh ruled in favour of "discipline" and a "uniform dress code". In Puducherry, the authorities have asked the head of a government school to investigate allegations of a teacher objecting to headscarves in class.

All schools and colleges in Karnataka will be shut for the next three days. Chief Minister Basavaraj S Bommai has appeals "to maintain peace and harmony". The Karnataka High Court is hearing petitions filed by five women from a government college in Udupi, questioning hijab restrictions.

The hearing will continue today.