Assam: AIUDF Chief Ignites Controversy After Advocating For Mandatory Hijab For Muslim Women In Workspace

GUWAHATI: All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) supremo Badruddin Ajmal has sparked a controversy after he suggested that Muslim women in esteemed professions like the civil services and the medical field should be obliged to wear the hijab.

Ajmal, who made these comments during a recent rally in the Karimganj district of Assam, was of the view that Muslim women in these fields should wear the hijab so that their Muslim identity can be acknowledged.

Stressing upon its significance, he questioned, "If Muslim women don’t know how to put on the hijab or cover their hair, how will they be recognized as Muslims?”

Expressing his views, he asserted that wearing hijab is not merely a choice but a necessity. “Hijab is a must. Hair is the devil’s thread, and makeup is the devil’s work,” he stated.

He proclaimed, “I’ve seen young women in the other areas go to study with their heads covered in the hijab. They walk with their eyes lowered and head downcast. Nonetheless, girls must continue to wear the hijab in Assam. Our faith requires us to wear a headscarf and keep our hair covered.”

These comments were made during Ajmal’s visit to Karimganj, where the foundation stone for a Mosque and graveyard were laid by him.

Moreover, this is not the first time that Ajmal has found himself embroiled in a controversy in the Barak region. He had previously grabbed eyeballs for wearing a lungi, a traditional garment, during a foundation stone-laying ceremony in the North Karimganj constituency.

The AIUDF leader's call for mandatory hijab in specific professions has sparked diverse reactions, with some supporting the assertion of religious identity and others criticizing it as an infringement on personal choice. This incident adds fuel to the ongoing discussions about the intersection of religious practices, personal freedoms, and professional life, highlighting the complex dynamics at play in India's diverse cultural landscape.

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