Congress rebuffs Karnataka leader for ‘hijab prevents rapes’ statement

New Delhi, February 14

The Congress rebuffed its Karnataka leader Zameer Ahmed on Monday for his statement that “hijab prevents rapes”.

Speaking about the hijab row, Ahmed said the veil kept women safe by “hiding their beauty”.

Snubbing Ahmed, AICC general secretary Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala said there was no place in modern India and our society for parochial and regressive views on women as expressed by a Congress leader of Karnataka.

“Such dogmatic views are reserved for BJP leaders as seen in the past in outlandish remarks made by Adityanath, Manohar Lal Khattar, and others. India’s women, irrespective of religion or caste, are representative of ‘Shakti’ from times immemorial. Women have made India proud in every sphere by their grit, independence & determination. Time has come for every such leader to change the conservative mindset,” Surjewala tweeted.

Earlier, Ahmed said: “Hijab is meant to keep women and daughters in a veil after they attain adulthood. It is a means to hide their beauty. Today rapes are the highest in India. The reason is the non-use of the hijab. The hijab tradition goes back years. There is no compulsion. Those who do not want to show their beauty to others wear it”.

His words drew backlash on social media as well as rivals Bharatiya Janata Party.