Students of various organisations were allegedly manhandled by the Delhi Police on February 10 when they went to protest against the hijab row in front of the Karnataka Bhawan. Students from SFI, AISA and KYS were detained by the police as soon as they reached the spot. The students were then released at around 7pm the same day.
SFI's All India Joint Secretary Dipsita Dhar alleged that she, along with other students, were manhandled by the police while being detained. "We have been manhandled and detained by Delhi Police for protesting against the Hijab ban. We were taken to the Mandir Marg Police Station," said Dipsita. Students belonging to AISA and KYS were also allegedly manhandled by the police while protesting. "Delhi Police had stolen AISA placards and dafli and were refusing to return them. They are afraid of the students so much that that now they are "arresting" placards and dafli," said an AISA activist.
The protest was organised in front of the Karnataka Bhawan to protest against the Hijab Ban in Karnataka and the exclusion of female Muslim students from colleges."The question is not about the merit of hijab. Places where women are forced to wear hijab, we extend our solidarity for those girls who are fighting against it. But this is sheer case of Islamophobia. The ABVP started wearing saffron shawl just to create a controversy, targeting the Muslim girls. No matter whatever my faith is, how can the right to education be taken away? We have normalised Saraswati Puja in school, but get reminded of secularism when girls cover their head?" asked Dipsita.
