Women gather in Bengaluru to protect their fundamental rights

Bengaluru: In the backdrop of the Hijab ban issue in Karnataka, about 250 women from all walks of life convened at the Bengaluru Town Hall before taking out a protest march on Sunday. They upheld the slogans of women's fundamental rights, including right to education, dignity, and choice.

The protest happened to be on the occasion of the International Women's Day. The march was organised by 'Concerned Women+ of Karnataka' to highlight the fundamental rights of women in the spirit of International Women's Day.

Throughout the rally, which began from Café Coffee Day Square on Vittal Mallya Road, slogans of resistance reverberated. Protestors tied black bands on their arms to show their dissent into the new developments where a situation of denying education to Muslim girls over their choice of hijab.

Letters of solidarity with students of Karnataka were read out during the rally.

Poems authored by K Sharifa and Rafia Zainab were sung before ending the protest with a candlelight vigil at Town Hall.

Poking the thoughts of the people, women in the rally shot questions like how they would feel if they were refused entry into school, if their friends refused to talk to them, if they were made to sit on the floor, or if they had to drop out of school.

There shall not be any pressure on women that prohibits women from achieving the education was the key demand raised by the protestors. They wanted that the women should not be forced to choose between their fundamental right to education and their right to choice of clothing.

The hijab ban controversy later turned into an issue of hijab versus saffron scarves, which spread to many parts of Karnataka, leading to untoward incidents across the state

The girls approached the Karnataka High Court seeking relief and quashing a government order on February 5 restraining students from wearing any cloth, apart from the uniform, that could disturb peace, harmony and public order.

The court has reserved its order and is likely to pronounce it soon.