Aliya Assadi, who spearheaded the protest against hijab ban in Udupi, took a jibe at former BJP MP Raghupathi Bhatt, who was expelled from the party saying, “God will do what He does.”
Taking to microbloging site X, Assadi, who led protest against Karnataka Hijab Ban, said, “When I was an expelled student, you earned a degree in the party. Today, I am a law student, and you are the one being expelled. I was able to witness that moment right here in Udupi.”
She expressed happiness at Bhatt’s expulsion and said, “You kicked me out of college solely for wearing hijab with 60 days left for the annual exam, but I also got to witness the moment when the same party expelled you today.”
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) expelled Bhatt on May 26. A three-time MLA from Udupi, he was expelled following his rebellion against the party.
In an interview with Deccan Herald, Bhatt alleged that ‘outsiders’ from Kerala and Hyderabad were forces who were making the hijab ban worse. “The outside communal forces, not from Udupi, spoiled the minds of students. I had met the Muslim students and their parents twice. They were not willing to attend classes without wearing hijab. Hence, we decided to wait for the court order.”
He also claimed that a majority of Muslim students were happy removing the hijab. However, this was not true as several students from pre-university colleges protested on the streets demanding the ban be lifted.
He also said India eas portrayed in a bad way by the international media. “Neither the Indian mainstream media nor local channels followed the news. However, on the same day, it was highlighted in Pakistan media and Islamic channels. Not a single channel in India, except one, followed it up. Even local channels did not broadcast it. This was done to portray India in a bad light,” he was quoted by the Deccan Herald.
Background of the Hijab ban
The hijab issue began in December 2021 when six pre-university female students were not allowed inside their classrooms as the administration insisted they remove their hijab or headscarf.
The issue soon spread like wildfire throughout the state where many government educational institutions started following the procedure and stopped hijab-clad students from entering the premises.
The issue then took a nasty turn when Hindu students, dressed up in saffron shawls started protesting against their hijab-clad Muslim classmates. Schools and pre-universities were shut down in order to maintain law and order.
On March 15, 2022, the Karnataka high court upheld the decision of the state government stating the hijab is not necessary and students should adhere to the rules of their respective institutions.
