BJP youth wing demands full ban on headscarves in educational institutes, held protests in Aligarh

Aligarh: The BJP's youth wing on Friday took out a march in Aligarh, demanding a complete ban on hijab in educational institutions in the country.

Members of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), who took out their march from the Centre Point Market in the Civil Lines area, were heading for the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) crossing but were stopped by police, leading to angry exchanges.

The demonstrators warned that they would intensify their protest in educational institutions in the district.

BJYM district vice president Saurabh Chaudhry said his organisation would hold demonstrations in all educational institutions to check students from wearing hijabs or caps inside educational institutions.

Security measures at AMU have been tightened as a precautionary measure to prevent any untoward incident.

Additional City Magistrate Sudhir Kumar, who received a copy of a memorandum stating the BJYM's demands, said it would be forwarded to the state and central governments.

The demonstration comes amid a row over hijab versus saffron scarves in Karnataka, which started at the end of December in Udupi in the southern state.

On Thursday, the Karnataka government ordered that students in schools managed by its minority welfare department should not wear saffron scarves, hijab or any religious flags.

In Aligarh, on Tuesday, students belonging to the BJYM in some colleges in the city wore saffron shawls while attending classes.

The same day Raghuraj Singh, a senior BJP leader of the district, who holds the rank of a minister of state in the Uttar Pradesh government, had released a statement warning AMU students, who were protesting over the hijab issue, "to mend their ways or the UP police would enter their homes and drag them out from there".

Singh had stirred a controversy by saying that "either such wayward elements should mend their ways or migrate to Pakistan or Afghanistan where they will find that there is no democracy or right to protest which they enjoy in India."