Hijab continues to make headlines in Karnataka for all the wrong and unfounded reasons and this time around a few Muslim food catering companies have been accused of forcing Hindu lady employees to wear hijabs and remove Kumkum. Perhaps the development would have gone unnoticed had the organizers not indulged in spoilsport by posting a video in this regard.
MLA unaware of the incident: Although, the news of the unsavoury and mischievous incident spread like wildfire following widespread protests by rightwing protagonists including the Bajarang Dal, the local legislator admitted to being unaware of any such development. Following repeated and intermittent calls, G.B Jyothi Ganesh, Tumakuru Bharatiya Janata Party MLA at last picked up the call only to disclose that he was not aware of any such happening in his own constituency!
Bajarang Dal protests: However, Manju Bhargav, Tumakuru district Convenor of Bajarang Dal raised a voice of protest on online platforms against the event management companies stooping to a such low level in public. He has also blasted the 8-10 food catering Muslim companies taking the poor women for a ride. According to him, this is a new tendency and hitherto unheard of neither in Tumakuru nor elsewhere in the state.
Parents unaware of the ploy: As a follow-up of this development, Manju Bhargav told-“Following this nasty incident Bajarang Dal activists visited the houses of the victims to have an understanding of the facts. Unfortunately, it so happened that none of the parents was aware of what was happening to their daughters”.
A women kingpin behind the episode: Suresh Chandra, a social activist from Madhugiri in Tumakuru district revealed-“Rakesh and his team were the first ones to bring to light the horrible ongoing. It is said that a Christian woman kingpin is behind all this fiasco just to make quick money. She is said to visit the slums and localities of lower middle-income groups and lure young women with petty jobs to supplement their livelihood”.
Full stop to such practice: Following up with the parents and interacting with Bajarang Dal activists with them have been successful for the time being to put a full stop to this practice. The parents have also clarified that they were not in the knowhow of the circumstances that led to the ugly practice. They have also assured that they are all in no such hapless conditions to sacrifice the traditions just for the sake of a few hundred rupees more.
Role of Middlemen: There looks to be a systematic strategy being deployed with a clear-cut agenda to ensure that the women being employed on a daily wage basis wear the Hijab without Kumkum. Some of the middlemen revealed-“Women coming from Bengaluru to Tumakuru in teams for catering come with Hijabs as a dress code. Likewise, the native people are also suggested to wear the Hijab and remove Kumkum as part of the uniform”.
Old controversy not yet over: It may be recalled here that wearing of Hijab was banned by the state government in February 2022 following an incident in Udupi districts. A handful of Muslim girls were refused entrance into Pre University classes following their insistence on wearing the Hijab. The permission was denied as Hijab was not part of the uniform prescribed by the educational institute authorities. Writ petitions in umpteen numbers were filed before the state high court which upheld the government's stand. The petitioners later raised the same issue before the Supreme Court. However, a final outcome is yet to come and meanwhile, some Muslim girls preferred to stay at home rather than attend classes without the Hijab headgear.
-Manohar Yadavatti
Comments
Post a Comment