All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi criticized the Karnataka Government on Monday, accusing it of failing to issue orders to lift the hijab ban in the state. He pointed out that despite the Congress party coming to power seven months ago, no official directive had been issued to revoke the ban on wearing the hijab in educational institutions in Karnataka.
Speaking to reporters here, while condemning the killing of four Indian Army personnel by Pakistani terrorists in Kashmir, the Hyderabad MP demanded the arrest of the personnel allegedly involved in the killing of three civilian people whose bodies were found after they were reportedly picked up for questioning.
Why has it taken them (Congress government in Karnataka) seven months and why are they going back? After addressing a public meeting, the Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that they can wear whatever you want and then he tells within one hour that we are yet to take a decision. It is very unfortunate. The Muslims of Karnataka are feeling let down, he said.
The AIMIM chief expressed bewilderment at the hesitation of the Congress Government in Karnataka to issue orders lifting the hijab ban, suggesting that such a decision could be swiftly implemented in just 30 minutes. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah clarified on Saturday that the government was in the process of considering the removal of the hijab ban in educational institutions. He mentioned that a decision on this matter would be made following discussions at the government level.
On the deaths of three civilians in Kashmir, Owaisi said compensation and other measures by the government are not enough and that the officials who are involved in it should be arrested immediately.
Three men were found dead under suspicious circumstances on December 22 near the site of an ambush by terrorists on two Army vehicles in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district that left five soldiers dead and two injured the previous day. The deceased were among the eight people reportedly picked up by the Army for questioning in connection with the attack at Dhatyar Morh.