Hijab controversy: Indian leaders must stop the marginalisation of Muslim women, Malala Yousafzai says

As protests for and against the 'hijab' gathers steam across Karnataka, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai has termed refusing to let girls go to school in their hijabs 'horrifying' and called upon the Indian leadership to stop the marginalisation of Muslim women.

"Refusing to let girls go to school in their hijabs is horrifying. Objectification of women persists — for wearing less or more. Indian leaders must stop the marginalisation of Muslim women," Malala tweeted on Tuesday.



Calm prevailed on Wednesday in the educational institutions which witnessed tense moments over the Hijab row earlier, as the Karnataka government had ordered closure of all high schools and colleges in the state for three days.

Most of them returned to the online mode of teaching, sources said. Primary schools functioned as usual across the state without any interruption.

Protests for and against the 'hijab' had intensified in different parts of Karnataka and turned violent in some places on Tuesday.

The Karnataka High Court is hearing the matter on a batch of petitions challenging the Karnataka government order dated February 5, which prohibited any cloth other than the prescribed uniform, which disturbed peace, harmony and, law and order.