With the hijab becoming a raging debate across the country, Muslim women in Malegaon, who wear the head covering as part of their religious identity and cultural beliefs, said they felt targeted. On Friday evening, around 25,000 Muslim women gathered at the Kallu stadium in Malegaon to show their solidarity with the hijab-clad students, who were allegedly harassed in Karnataka for wearing the hijab.

The pro-Hijab rally in Malegaon was organised by Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, a leading organisation of Islamic scholars. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a woman from Malegaon said, “This issue should not even be up for discussion, as wearing the hijab is our fundamental right. Denying it means that people are opposed to our religious values and ideals.”