Hijab row: India hits back after US govt official's criticism

The Government of India reacted sharply to comments by a US government official regarding the hijab controversy in Karnataka. Without naming any country or individual, the spokesperson of India's foreign ministry said that "motivated comments on our internal issues are not welcome".

The response came after Rashad Hussain, the ambassador-at-large of the US government's Office of International Religious Freedom tweeted about the debate gripping Karnataka.

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Hussain said, "Religious freedom includes the ability to choose one's religious attire. The Indian state of Karnataka should not determine permissibility of religious clothing. Hijab bans in schools violate religious freedom and stigmatise and marginalise women and girls."

Rejecting the comment, Arindam Bagchi of India's Ministry of External Affairs said, "A matter regarding dress code in some educational institutions in the State of Karnataka is under judicial examination by the Hon'ble High Court of Karnataka. Our constitutional framework and mechanisms, as well as our democratic ethos and polity, are the context in which issues are considered and resolved. Those who know India well would have a proper appreciation of these realities. Motivated comments on our internal issues are not welcome."

In an interim order, the Karnataka High Court has banned wearing of "saffron shawls, scarves, hijabs, religious flags within classrooms" by students in institutions where the College Development Committees have prescribed a dress code, as per reports.