In a video released on Tuesday, Ayman al-Zawahiri, the head of al Qaeda, spoke on the hijab controversy in Karnataka, and described Indian democracy as 'pagan Hindu'. He said, as reported by The Print: “Muskan Khan [who went viral in a video for wearing a hijab] challenged a mob of Hindu polytheists with defiant slogans of takbeer. May Allah reward her for showing a moral lesson to sisters plagued by an inferiority complex with the decadent Western world. Avoid being deceived by the pagan Hindu democracy of India which, to begin with, was never more than a tool to oppress Muslims. It is exactly the same tool of deception the true nature of which was exposed by France Holland and Switzerland when they banned the hijab while allowing nudity".
Earlier, terror outfit Islamic State threatened to slaughter Hindus who dishonour Muslim women. It claimed that the ban on hijab in educational institutions in Karnataka is planned by the BJP to "undress and humiliate Muslim women publicly” and said the controversy is being used to disempower young Muslim women.
The communal divide in Karnataka is only increasing. After the hijab controversy rocked the state with pro and anti-hijab protests, followed by the Muslim religious leaders calling for a state-wide bandh on March 17 to protest the High Court judgement that upheld the hijab ban inside the classrooms, the recent ban on Muslim vendors at Hindu temple fairs and festivals is widening the rift between the two communities, especially in coastal Karnataka and Malnad regions.
The first temple to ban Muslims from setting up the stalls was Hosa Marigudi temple in Kaup in Udupi district, which did not allow Muslims to bid for the shops during the 'Suggi Mari puje', an annual fair. The temple managing committee also barred sub contracting of the shops to non-Hindus.
“The local devotees were outraged when Muslims shut their shops on March 17, to support the bandh to protest the hijab case verdict. We welcome the temple committee decision,” said Prakash Kukkehalli, an office-bearer of Hindu Jagaran Vedike, Mangaluru.
After the Kaup incident, similar bans were imposed in Mahalingeshwara temple in Puttur and Bappanadu Sri Durgaparameshwari temple in Dakshina Kannada, and Hindu activists have been appealing to major temples in Hassan (Chenna Keshava temple in Belur), Chikkamagaluru (Sringeri temple), Tumakuru, Shivamogga and Bengaluru not to allow Muslim traders to transact business during Hindu temple fairs.
Leader of the opposition Siddaramaiah alleged that BJP was indulging in polarisation politics. “Every citizen has a fundamental right to conduct business. BJP is practising hate politics,” he alleged.
Pointing out the irony, MLC C.M. Ibrahim raised the issue in the upper house on Friday and said the Muslim vendors were being prevented from setting up stalls in Bappanadu temple, which was built by a Muslim.
