Ayodhya: Extending its support to Karnataka student Bibi Muskan Khan, who shot to fame during the hijab protests, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has said hijab or ‘pardah’ is also part of the Indian culture.
Supporting Bibi Muskan’s plea to wear a hijab, RSS’ Muslim wing Muslim Rashtriya Manch has condemned the saffron frenzy surrounding her.
“She is a daughter and sister of our community. We stand by her in her hour of crisis,” IANS quoted Muslim Rashtriya Manch Avadh Prant Sanchalak Anil Singh as saying.
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Stating the “behaviour of boys sporting saffron scarfs and chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ is unacceptable”, he said they have “defamed Hindu culture”.
“Hijab or purdah is also part of Indian culture and Hindu women too sport purdah as per choice. And the same condition applies to Bibi Muskan,” he added.
Appealing to the “members of Hindu community to accept Muslims as their brethren”, the RSS leader: “Our sarsangh chalak has said, Muslims are our brothers and the DNA of both communities are the same.”
The Muslim Rashtriya Manch in a statement too echoed similar sentiments stating the Hindu culture teaches respect of women and those who chanted ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and tried to terrorise the girl were wrong.
“The girl has a constitutional freedom to wear a hijab,” the statement issued by the Muslim Rashtriya Manch read.
“If she had violated the campus dress code, then the institution has the right to act against her,” the statement added.
Earlier on Tuesday, the second-year BCom student was heckled by a group of saffron stoles wearing students for entering the college with burqa and hijab.
When they began raising “Jai Shri Ram” slogans, she retorted by shouting “Allah-hu-Akbar”.
A video of the incident has gone viral on social media with many lauding the girl’s courage for bravely tackling the situation.