Chennai: In what can be seen as an extension of the Hijab row in Karnataka, a BJP booth committee member objected to a Muslim woman voter who came to the polling center with a hijab and demanded her to remove it for exercising her democratic right.
However, the other booth agents, polling officers, and the police personnel immediately objected to the man and forced him out of the polling center in Melur of Madurai district.
In the video of the incident tweeted by ANI, the man was seen questioning the police and the other booth agents on how he can identify if this was the same woman in the voter's ID if she comes with a hijab. He also asked, what if someone else casts the vote instead of the woman.
However, the woman was wearing only a hijab without a nosepiece and not a burkha.
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Soon, an argument ensued with the poll officers and the BJP member. The DMK and AIADMK members too objected to the BJP member's demand.
The police immediately rushed to stop the commotion. They then tried to talk to him. However, since the BJP member continued with his demand, he was forced to leave the booth.
The incident at the polling booth especially after the hijab row started by BJP-led government in Karnataka has received the wrath of the public.
Meanwhile, state election commissioner Palani Kumar urged all the people to cast their votes. In Chennai till 9 am only 3.96% of the people practiced their democratic right while only 3.30% of the people cast their votes in Tambaram Corporation till 9 am.