‘Maulanas above Mahila’: BJP’s comeback on Priyanka Gandhi’s hijab remark
Priyanka Gandhi’s comments came a day after violence witnessed in educational institutions in Karnataka against girl students who came wearing hijab.
Wading into the Karnataka hijab controversy and reacting to Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s statements in support of college students protesting ban on wearing headscarf in classrooms and campuses, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla lashed out at Gandhi for talking about women’s right to choose.
In a tweet replying to Gandhi’s post, Shehzad wrote, “Your father denied women like Shahbano right & choice to maintenance guaranteed by a SC judgment. Your party denies women like Shayrabano choice to take recourse against triple talaq. After choosing hardline Maulanas above Mahila you are talking about women’s right to choose!”
Priyanka Gandhi’s comments came a day after violence witnessed in educational institutions in Karnataka against girl students who came wearing hijab.
“Whether it is a bikini, a ghoonghat, a pair of jeans or a hijab, it is a woman’s right to decide what she wants to wear. This right is guaranteed by the Indian constitution. Stop harassing women. #ladkihoonladsaktihoon,” Priyanka tweeted.
Also watch: After Saffron scarf, Dalit background students enter Hijab-Saffron row, raise 'Jai Bhim' slogans
‘Ladki Hoon Lad Sakti Hoon’ has been Congress’ war cry for the seven-phase Uttar Pradesh Assembly election that commences tomorrow, February 10. Led by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the party's campaign focuses on women’s empowerment as one of the key issues for election.
The Mohd. Ahmad Khan vs. Shah Bano Begum & Ors. or the Shah Bano maintenance case is seen as one of the legal milestones in battle for protection of rights of Muslim women. While the Supreme Court upheld the right to alimony in the case, the judgment set off a political battle as well as a controversy about the extent to which courts can interfere in Muslim personal law. The case laid the ground for Muslim women’s fight for equal rights in matters of marriage and divorce in regular courts, the most recent example being the Shayara Bano case in which the Supreme Court invalidated the practice of instant triple talaq.
On Tuesday, Opposition MPs had walked out of the Lok Sabha over the hijab row in Karnataka, saying wearing it is not a crime and demanding a statement from the Centre on where it stands on the issue. The MPs from Congress, DMK, CPI(M), CPI, VCK, MDMK, Muslim League and JMM had staged the protest.
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Also watch: Karnataka Hijab row: Girl hounded by mob with saffron scarves at Mandya college