Karnataka hijab ban: Pakistan summons Indian envoy to Islamabad, expresses 'grave concerns'

Photo for representational purpose. Pic/PTI

Pakistan has summoned India's Charge d'Affaires in Islamabad over an ongoing hijab row in Karnataka, according to a media report.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Foreign Office said that the Indian Charge d'Affaires was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was conveyed the government's "grave concern and condemnation on the deeply reprehensible act" of banning Muslim students from wearing hijab in Karnataka, Daily Pakistan reported on Thursday.

"The charge d' affaires was urged to convey to the Government of India, Pakistan's extreme concern over the anti-hijab campaign, being spearheaded by RSS-BJP combine in Karnataka, which is part of its larger exclusionist and majoritarian agenda aimed at dehumanizing and demonizing Muslim women," FO spokesperson said in a statement, ARY News reported.

The Hijab protests began on February 4 at the Government Girls PU college in Udupi district in Karnataka when some students alleged that they had been barred from attending classes wearing hijab (a headscarf worn by Muslim women).

On Monday, students of different colleges arrived at the Shanteshwar Education Trust in Vijayapura wearing saffron stoles amid the Hijab row in Karnataka.

The pre-University education board had released a circular stating that the students can only wear the uniform approved by the school administration and no other religious practices will be allowed in colleges.

Following these protests, a three-day holiday from February 9 to 11 has been declared in all the universities under the Department of Higher Education and colleges under the department of Collegiate and Technical Education (DCTE).

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