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Hijab-clad Muslim students denied entry in south India colleges

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Girls in hijab are barred from several pre-university colleges in Karnataka state whose chief minister Basavraj Bommai insists ban on Islamic headgear doesn’t apply to institutions where there is no dress code.

Muslim students have been denied entry into several pre-university colleges in India’s southern Karnataka state as they were asked to remove their hijab before entering classes.

The colleges in India reopened on Wednesday after they remained closed for a week amid the dispute over the hijab ban.

Students refused to remove their headscarves in the Shivamogga city and preferred missing class instead, according to Press Trust of India, a news agency.

Footages shared on social media showed students at various colleges in Karnataka were being asked to remove their hijabs to attend classes, with most of them refusing to do so.

Last week, the Karnataka High Court blocked students from wearing religious garments until it makes a final ruling on the matter.

A three-judge panel has been hearing the case again since Monday to decide if schools and colleges can order students not to wear the hijab in classrooms.

“College authorities are not allowing us inside the college. They are asking us to remove the hijab and burqa. We are Muslims, how can we remove it? It’s our pride, we will wear it, and we do not care about our lives,” a student said.

“According to me, it’s my decision to wear a hijab, we have been wearing this since our childhood. This is a part of us,” Farzana, a student at Dr. G Shankar Government Women’s First Grade College said.

Order applies to institutions that have dress code

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavraj Bommai said on Wednesday that the court order applies to institutions that have dress code.

“The order doesn’t apply to where there is no dress code,” he said in a statement.

A group of Muslim women filed petitions against the government order banning the hijab on college premises.

The hijab ban protests erupted after a college in Karnataka told students to take off their headscarves inside the classroom.

Those protesting the move cited the Constitution that allows Indians to wear clothes of their choice and display religious symbols.

India says OIC Secretariat has ‘communal mindset’

Meanwhile, India on Tuesday accused the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) of harbouring a “communal mindset” after the Islamic bloc expressed “deep concerns” over the ongoing hijab ban and recent calls for genocide of Muslims by far-right Hindu groups close to ruling BJP government in India.

“Issues in India are considered and resolved in accordance with our constitutional framework and mechanisms, as well as democratic ethos and polity,” the Indian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

“The communal mindset of the OIC Secretariat does not allow for a proper appreciation of these realities.”

‘Hate crime’ 

According to the Indian constitution, every citizen has the right to practice, profess and propagate religion. The right can be curtailed only on grounds of public order, morality and health.

But a rise in hate speech targeting India’s Muslim minority by supporters of the ruling Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party has taken hold, isolating and intimidating some of the 200 million Muslims living among 1.4 billion people in India, mostly Hindus.

Since PM Narendra Modi came to power in 2014, various legislative and other actions have been taken, legitimising discrimination against religious minorities and enabling violent Hindu nationalism, Human Rights Watch said in a report last year, charges Indian premier and the BJP vehemently deny.

A letter signed by some 2,000 people including journalists, social activists, authors and lawyers has called the hijab ban a “hate crime”.

International figures like Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai and French footballer Paul Pogba have also criticised the imposition of the hijab ban on Indian Muslims.

Source: TRTWorld and agencies

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Islamic Minister discusses expanding Zakat House

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27/04/2024

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Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed has met with the Director General of Zakat House Director Dr. Majid Sulaiman Al-Azimi to discuss upgrading the Maldives Zakat House.

The minister confirmed this via X (formerly Twitter), highligting that the two discussed about expanding the services of the Zakat House, including staff and Sharia Board training, and the legal requirements of Zakat recipients.

Earlier, the minister announced the administration’s plan to introduce a financial aid system to extend aid to orphans permanently. Dr. Shaheem said orphans will receive financial support annually until adulthood.

However, the minister did not specify how much the government intended to provide as financial support each year.

The current administration established the Maldives Zakat House with the objectives of increasing public awareness on the importance of paying Zakat, and foster love among the public towards the Islamic sacred act.

Under the Zakat Fund, government provided financial support to 52 individuals earlier in March 2024.

Statistics recently provided by the Zakat House showed the fund had been disbursed mainly in four areas, which are;

For Cancer Treatment – MVR 190,822.50
Brain Surgery – MVR 180,407.19
Heart Surgery – MVR 8,482.00
Transplants – MVR 25,443.00

Additionally, another MVR 227,872.50 was disbursed for various other areas.

Source(s): sun.mv

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Talks between Israel, Egyptian delegation over Gaza ceasefire reportedly ‘very good’

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27/04/2024

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Negotiations over Israel’s upcoming offensive in the Gaza Strip’s southernmost city of Rafah and efforts to achieve a ceasefire deal with Hamas were “very good” between Israeli officials and a high-level Egyptian delegation, media and sources said Friday.

The negotiations were “very good, focused, held in good spirits and progressed in all parameters,” a senior Israeli official told Israeli media Ynet.

“In the background, there are very serious intentions from Israel to move ahead in Rafah,” and the Egyptians are willing to exert pressure on Hamas to achieve a deal, the official was quoted as saying.

According to the Israeli official, Israel made a warning that it would not agree to foot-dragging by Hamas on the hostage deal to delay the military operation in Rafah, and he also mentioned that Israel had deployed reserve soldiers to the Gaza Strip.

According to Channel 12, the official added that Israel is prepared to make more “significant compromises,” such as permitting the evacuation of Gazan civilians in northern Gaza and removing its troops from a crucial corridor that divides Gaza.

Meanwhile, Egypt reportedly sent a high-level delegation, led by senior intelligence official Abbas Kamel, to Israel on Friday with the hope of brokering a ceasefire agreement with Hamas in Gaza.

Considerable progress has been achieved in bringing the views of the Egyptian and Israeli delegations closer together regarding reaching a truce in Gaza, Egypt’s Al-Qahera News TV reported.

In addition, two high-ranking Egyptian security officials confirmed to Xinhua news agency that the talks discussed Egypt’s “rescue initiative,” which aims to prevent any more escalations in the Strip and avoid the invasion of Rafah.

On Thursday, Israeli media reported that the country is expected to “soon” begin evacuating civilians from Rafah ahead of a planned ground attack.

Earlier Thursday, Israel’s wartime cabinet and security cabinet convened to discuss a possible assault on Rafah, a city previously considered a “safe zone” from the relentless Israeli bombardments, where about 1.4 million displaced Palestinians have found refuge.

Source(s): CGTN

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Third ‘Ahaa’ forum on Monday; opportunity open to send questions

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26/04/2024

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The third session of the public forum of ministers, ‘Ahaa’, which translates to ‘Ask’, is slated for Monday night.

The President’s Office said the next session of “Ahaa’ forum, organized by the office in collaboration with state media, PSM, will be held at 8:30pm on Monday night.

This session will feature Transport Minister Mohamed Ameen, Home Minister Ali Ihusan, Fisheries Minister Ahmed Shiyam, Higher Education Minister Dr. Mariyam Mariya and Youth Ministry Ibrahim Waheed.

Members of the public can send the questions they wish to ask these ministers to 300 with the keyword ‘AH’.

The current administration launched and held the first session of ‘Ahaa’ forum on January 25th which featured Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Mohamed Saeed; Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed; Minister of Social and Family Development, Dr. Aishath Shiham; Minister of Sports, Fitness and Recreation, Abdulla Rafiu; and Minister of Construction and Infrastructure, Dr. Abdulla Muththalib.

The second session of the forum, held on February 23rd, featured President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu.

A direct portal was launched during the session to allow the public to send their questions and concerns to the President.

Source(s): sun.mv

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