Hijab controversy: India slams 'communal mindset' of Muslim nations' grouping

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation has once again intervened in India's internal matters with its appeal to the global community to condemn the alleged harassment of minorities amid the ongoing hijab-saffron row in Karnataka. The intervention prompted a stern response from the Indian government.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation, in a series of posts on Twitter, urged the international community, especially the United Nations mechanisms and Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council, to take necessary steps in this matter.

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The OIC is a group of 57 Muslim countries that has the mandate to safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world. In its Twitter posts, the organization also requested India to ensure the safety, security, and wellbeing of the Muslim community 'while protecting the way of life of its members and to bring the instigators & perpetrators of acts of violence and hate crimes against them to justice."

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Reacting to the OIC's remarks, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said: "We have noted yet another motivated and misleading statement from the General Secretariat of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation on matters pertaining to India." 

Reiterating that issues with the country are resolved as per the country's constitutional framework and mechanisms, Bagchi said that the OIC Secretariat's communal mindset does not allow for a proper appreciation of these realities. 

The MEA spokesperson further stated that the OIC remains hijacked by vested interests who intend to further their nefarious propaganda against India. This, Bagchi said, had only harmed the OIC's reputation.

Prior to this, the United States too had raked up the Hijab row which was sharply responded to by the Indian side.

New Delhi had then asked the US administration to refrain from making motivated comments on its internal affairs. 

In response to media queries, external affairs ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had stated the issue on dress code is under judicial examination before the Karnataka High Court. 

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He said that India's democratic ethos and polity as well as its constitutional framework and mechanisms are the contexts in which issues are considered and resolved. Stating that motivated comments on our internal issues are unwelcome, Bagchi further said that those who know India well would have a proper appreciation of these realities. 

In a tweet, Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom (IRF) has said that the hijab ban stigmatizes and marginalizes women and girls. Rashad Hussain is the Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom. 

"Religious freedom includes the ability to choose one's religious attire. The Indian state of Karnataka should not determine the permissibility of religious clothing," the Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom had said, adding, "Hijab bans in schools violate religious freedom and stigmatize and marginalize women and girls."

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• Constitution of India
• Hijab controversy
• Hijab row
• Hindutva
• Holy Quran
• Indian Muslims
• Islam
• Muslim nations grouping
• Muslims Hindus
• OIC
• Organization of Islamic Cooperation
• Quran Hijab
• Uniform Civil Code
• United Nations
• faith
• personal laws
• quran burqa
• religion
• saffron
• saffronisation