A Manchester United footballer Paul Pogba, who published an Instagram story on Thursday, highlighted protests in Karnataka over college students being denied the opportunity to wear a hijab. He wrote, “Hindutva mobs continue to harass Muslim girls wearing Hijab to college in India”
Pogba, whose mother is Muslim and who began practicing Islam in 2019, published a 58-second Instagram reel.
The clip begins with a swarm of guys and adults wearing saffron scarves and surrounding young girls in hijabs. Several dozen males shout and chant as dust rises from the brawl. A few males are holding hands to protect the girls, and only two police officers are seen.
The footage shows a young woman, apparently a teacher, nervously unlocking a classroom door, following which dozens of lads in saffron scarves and cheering pour inside.
The third portion depicts hundreds of lads carrying saffron flags, dancing, and cheering down a street.
Each clip’s date and location are unknown.
Pogba isn’t the only international celebrity to highlight the hijab protests; Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai noted on Wednesday that “refusing to let girls attend school in hijabs is horrifying.”
Last month, six girls from Karnataka’s Udupi district raised concerns about Muslim pupils being prevented from wearing the hijab. Since then, it has escalated into a major issue, with a petition being heard by the state’s High Court and the Supreme Court being approached.
The High Court will resume hearings on the case on Monday, but students have been asked to avoid wearing “religious attire” for the sake of “peace and tranquilly,” according to a contentious statement.
