KOZHIKODE: The Islamic State (IS) has praised India’s Muslim girls who are fighting the ban on hijab in educational institutions in Karnataka. The 24th edition of Voice of Hind, the mouthpiece of the Indian module of the terror outfit, has devoted entire pages to discuss the hijab issue.
“Initially, six of our Islamic sisters from a government pre-university college were not allowed to attend classes wearing hijab. These sisters protested and chose to stay away from classrooms saying they can’t compromise on hijab. Soon the controversy erupted nationally and now its echoes are being heard worldwide,” said one of the articles in the magazine.
Citing different communal riots and the demolition of Babri Masjid, IS said: “All of these are examples of how secular institutions are capable of assisting systematic violence against Muslims, which still continues to be the case in the country.”
“Karnataka banned hijab in some colleges and universities and Muslims find themselves caught in a web of protests and demonstrations,” said the magazine. Rejecting the democratic protests, the magazine said “a disciplined, collective struggle must be waged, instead of individual endeavour, for the establishment of ‘Khilafah’ (caliphate), as this is the only system that guarantees justice.”
Urging the Muslims to not depend on any democratic solutions, IS said: “Muslims in India now desperately need to wake up from their deep sleep. Instead of protesting and making futile demands, they need to stick to ‘tawheed’ (oneness of God) and wage jihad against this blasphemous education system and these democratic values.”
“Surely, the believers who take hijab have become targets of mushrikeen (polytheists) who have been fanning anti-Muslim sentiments in India for decades and have reached their peak of hatred in Modi’s rule,” it said.
The IS’ response to the hijab issue is an example of how seriously different forces outside India are watching the developments. It may be recalled that Al-Qaeda chief Ayman Al Zawahiri had also reacted to the issue recently.