KENDRAPARA: The hijab controversy may have been raging down south in the classrooms but for the women candidates from Muslim community in Kendrapara, the urban polls are business as usual.
The candidates clad in hijab are seen campaigning in full spirit and reaching out to voters in their respective areas. The row over their traditional headscarves has hardly prevented them from carrying on with their work.
Several of them have entered the poll fray to contest for councilor posts of Kendrapara municipality. Of 12 nominees, Congress has fielded five, BJD four, BJP two and BSP one.
“All hijab-clad women are continuing poll activities and raising important issues of the civic body,” said BJP leader Salim Ali. Ali is also the vice-president of the minority cell of the State BJP.
The saffron party’s candidate from Ward 14, Simran said she is confident of winning as the BJP-led government at the Centre has carried out many developmental initiatives for the community.
Mohammed Naeem, a Congress leader, and lawyer said it is proper for the women contestants to wear hijab during campaigning as it is an essential practice in Islam. “If they win, they will continue wearing their headscarves at the workplace,” he added.
On the other hand, Congress-backed candidates feel the victory of hijab-wearing Muslim candidates would be a blow to BJP and its saffron allies. “Muslims and Hindus co-exist peacefully in Kendrapara town. Our neighbours, many of whom are Hindus, are also campaigning for us,” said Farzana Khatun, the Congress candidate from Ward 16. Out of 36,718 voters, there are around 8,000 voters from the Muslim community in the municipality.