For years, proponents of Hindutva have accused the Congress of using Muslims for vote bank politics. In December, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced that his government would withdraw the order imposed by the previous Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government restricting hijabs in classrooms. However, a day later, he clarified that the Congress government was still deliberating the matter. This decision, taken possibly in the fear of a BJP-led backlash prior to the general elections, is an example of vote bank politics and validates the BJP’s long-standing allegation against the Congress. Meanwhile, the fact remains that the hijab/veil has been the subject of a global debate for some time now.
In recent years, many Western leaders have recommended a partial or full ban on the veil. In 2010, French President Nicolas Sarkozy ordered the French government to prepare legislation paving the way for a total ban on the full Islamic veil. In 2016, British Prime Minister David Cameron said that he would back institutions with “sensible rules” over Muslims wearing full-face veils. In 2019, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson came under fire for the use of Islamophobic language against Muslim women who wear burqas. On the other side, there have been massive protests by Muslim women against Iranian state policy, which enforces the hijab. There are four inter-related questions dominating the global discourse. Should Muslim women have the right to exercise their choice to wear the hijab/veil? Should the state have the prerogative to make a law for them? What is the provision in Islam on gender freedom? In the event of a clash between state policy and Islamic provisions, which should prevail?
