Ambassador-at-Large of the U.S. Office of International Religious Freedom (IRF) Rashad Hussain on Friday, commenting on the hijab-related controversy in Karnataka, said the hijab ban in schools violate religious freedom. He added the ban “stigmatise and marginalise” women and girls. In response, Spokesperson at the India’s Ministry of External Affairs, Arindam Bagchi said motivated comments on the country’s internal issues were not welcome.
In the past, the IRF has also commented on the protests pertaining to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), revoking provisions of the Article 370, and cow vigilantism in India. On the CAA protests, the then Ambassador-at-Large Sam Brownback had stated that he hoped the government would “abide by its constitutional commitments, including on religious freedom.”
