A 25-year-old student was arrested in the Karnataka state of India for allegedly posting a Whatsapp message on Pakistan Day.
The woman, who has been identified as Kuthma Sheikh, is a student of a local madrassa. “May God bless every nation with peace, unity, and harmony,” she posted a message in Urdu on 23rd March, Pakistan Day.
The student was arrested on 24th March by an activist named, Arun Kumar Bhajantari. She was sent to judicial custody and was released a day later on bail.
The complainant alleged that the woman was trying to create enmity between communities and that she should be charged with treason.
The police said she was arrested to maintain the law and order situation. “Her post could be interpreted as if it was meant to commemorate Pakistan’s Republic Day,” a police officer told The Hindu. “It could lead to unrest and protests and counter-protests if we had not acted on time.”
Lawyer and Right to Information activist Bheemanagouda said that police should have their wisdom and discernment before arresting innocent citizens. He argued that allegations made by Bhajantari do not have legal standing hence police should avoid giving knee-jerk reactions.
India not so tolerant?
Nearly two weeks ago, the Indian court upheld a ban on the wearing of the hijab in classrooms in the southern state of Karnataka, a ruling that could set a precedent for the rest of the country which has a big Muslim minority.
Kuthma Sheikh, a 25-year-old student from India’s Karnataka, was arrested then released on bail for “create enmity between communities” after posting a message in Urdu reading “may God bless every nation with peace, unity and harmony” as her WhatsApp status pic.twitter.com/q3ld0hGUCZ
— TRT World (@trtworld) March 28, 2022
The ban last month by the state had sparked protests by some Muslim students and parents, and counter-protests by Hindu students. Critics of the ban say it is another way of marginalizing a community that accounts for about 13% of Hindu-majority India’s 1.35 billion people.
Read more: Hijab not part of religious practice: Indian court upholds hijab ban
“We are of the considered opinion that wearing of hijab by Muslim women does not form a part of essential religious practice in the Islamic faith,” Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi of the High Court of Karnataka said in the judgment.
He said the government had the power to prescribe uniform guidelines, dismissing various petitions challenging the ban ordered by Karnataka