Hindutva groups reignite protests against Hijab in Karnataka colleges
Hindu extremist students affiliated to Akhil Bhartiya Vidya Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) staged a protest against Muslim girls for choosing to wear the hijab to schools in defiance of the High Court’s discriminatory and unconstitutional ban on Muslim religious dress in schools.
Both male and female Hindu students at Mangalore University in Karnataka state protested outside the campus for allowing some Muslim girls to attend classes while wearing the hijab.
“There was a PTA meeting where many parents complained to the management of not following the HC’s verdict. But nothing was done. Around 40 Muslim students have been wearing Hijab and they are not stopped by the college management. That’s why we are protesting outside the college campus,” one protesting student complained.
Hijabi students continue to face harassment from not only their fellow students, but also school administrations, elected officials, and local Hindu supremacist groups. Meanwhile, the Indian Supreme Court has been continuously denying the urgent hearing of students’ plea against the Karnataka High Court’s ban.
Indian authorities in Kashmir file another baseless case against Journalist Fahad Shah
Authorities in Kashmir filed another case against journalist Fahad Shah, over an article published in the online news portal The Kashmir Walla, of which Shah is the founding editor.
This is the fifth case registered against Shah since his first arrest in February 2022, in a clear attempt to silence not just Shah, but other Kashmiris who dissent against the brutal policies of the Modi regime.
The article in question was written by PhD scholar Abdul Aala Fazili, who was arrested in April 2022 for his “highly provocative and seditious” article. The article was a damning criticism of human rights abuses in Kashmir, which have been ongoing for the past 30 years.
Other staff members of The Kashmir Walla have also been booked for “criminal conspiracy,” prompting the news portal to release a statement condemning the ongoing judicial harassment.
“For the team at The Kashmir Walla, it is yet another hard blow as we remain concerned about the health and wellbeing of Shah in the [Joint Interrogation Centre] in Jammu,” the statement added. “We reiterate our appeal to… drop all the charges against Shah and The Kashmir Walla’s journalistic work and facilitate his immediate release.”
Portrait Of Hindu Supremacist Icon And Fascist Supporter Savarkar Displayed In National Museum
Telangana state Congress leaders have expressed outrage over a portrait of Hindu supremacist icon Vinayak Savarkar that was displayed in Telangana state’s Salar Jung Museum, one of India’s well-known national museums. Savarkar was an open supporter of Nazism and Hitler, and believed a similar form of fascism should be used to turn India into a Hindu nation.
“Savarkar was never a part of the freedom struggle… Putting his photo in Salar Jung museum is very shameful and we condemn it,” said Osman Mohammed Khan, Organising Secretary in Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee.
On top of not supporting the Indian independence movement, Savarkar justified the rape of Muslim women by Hindu men as a political tool to right historical wrongs. In his book, Six Glorious Epochs of Indian History, he laid down the groundwork of the modern Hindu supremacist (Hindutva) movement.
Mob Of 40 Hindu Extremists Attacks Dalit Wedding Procession, 4 Injured
A mob of 4o Hindu upper caste men in Gujarat state attacked the wedding procession of a Dalit woman, injuring four people. Witnesses report that the mob, armed with sticks and other weapons, pelted stones at the procession.
The injured people required hospitalization for treatment. The victims have stated that they plan to file a police report. However, perpetrators of violence against Indian minorities, including Dalits, rarely face lasting consequences for being part of mob attacks.
