Hijab Row: Karnataka BJP Tweets Girls' Personal Details, Deletes Amid Outrage

As the Hijab row intensifies, the ruling party has found itself in the weeds. BJP Karnataka's official Twitter handle drew flak for revealing details of the young girls who protested against the rule. Targetting the Congress party, the tweet shared screenshots containing the students' details and mocked the party's 'Ladki hu, Lad Sakti Hu' motto.

"Five of the students involved in the Hijab Row are minors. Don't Congress leaders Sonia, Rahul and Priyanka have any guilt for using minor girls to stay relevant in politics. How low will they stoop to win elections," said the tweet.

Along with the addresses, the six petitioners' pictures were also posted. According to The News Minute, the state's BJP president, Nalinkumar Kateel, further retweeted it and shared his opinion in Kannada. He said, "Four of the students who filed an interim petition to postpone the trial are minors. What does it mean that they are disputing the hijab issue with the elections of the five states? Doesn't it mean the students are dancing to someone else's tunes?"

Unacceptable And Violative

Soon after the tweet was posted, it drew flak. By sharing the minor girls' details, the political party has violated Section 74 of the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015. The legislation prohibits publishing minors' details, and the Act defines a juvenile as a child under 18 years of age for boys and 16 years of age for girls.

The controversial tweet garnered criticism not just on the microblogging site but also on other social media platforms. Shiv Sena MP lashed out at the party for being 'insensitive, sick and pathetic.' She adds, "I demand NCPCR (National Commission for Protection of Child Rights) also to take this up immediately. This is a criminal act to share the names and addresses of minors, and this is unacceptable."

Looking at the vitriol, the official handle deleted the tweet. However, its screenshot was shared far and wide, with the internet continuing the call the government out. "Doesn't the Karnataka BJP have any guilt for sharing their personal details, including address, to stay relevant in politics," one tweet says.

Several users also asked to report the tweet and asked Twitter to take necessary actions against it. Not only that, many criticised the microblogging site for enabling such actions on their platform. "Please don't quote-tweet. You risk spreading information further, which places these women in even more danger," said another tweet.

The clamour against the Hijab ban has gained momentum with people lending support to the young Muslim girls. The international community has also spoken up against it, with Malala Yousufzai and footballer Paul Pogba standing in solidarity.

Also Read: Karnataka Hijab Row Puts A Dent On India's Secular Crest