Muslim women defend hijab, say it’s their right to wear it

Jaipur: Over 200 hijab and burqa-clad activists of Girls Islamic Organisation (GIO) held an awareness-cum-protest march at Albert Hall on Saturday against the ban on hijab by Karnataka government in educational institutes. The women formed a semi-circle around the hall holding placards stating ‘Hijab is my right, Hijab doesn’t discriminate each other’.
“Our group has assembled here to express our feelings to the people.We want people to know that attempts are being made to tarnish our dignity, rights, and religious duty," said Aliya Gaffar, coordinator of the event, while holding a placard with the preamble of the constitution scribbled on it.
Meanwhile, an expert in human psychology, Somaiya Mariam, chose a different way to protest against the hijab ban. She distributed books highlighting the importance of the hijab at the hall.
"What I gather from the TV debates and social media platforms is that people have certain misconceptions about hijab. It is very much a religious symbol like we have in other faiths such as turban, tika, bindi, and kirpan. How a piece of cloth covering the head and neck can threaten the institutes and the government is beyond my understanding," said Mariam.