After Congress leader Mukarram Khan was heard making provocative statements about the ongoing hijab issue in Karnataka, the Karnataka police on Tuesday, March 8, arrested him from Hyderabad. In the video which has been shared widely, Khan is heard saying that those opposing hijabs in educational institutions will be “chopped to pieces”.
“We are Indians, we live and die for the country. If you oppose our children wearing the hijab, you will be chopped to pieces. One day, we will all die. All castes are equal,” he is heard saying in the video. The Sedam police in Kalaburagi had filed a First Information Report (FIR) against Khan on February 16. However, he had filed for anticipatory bail at a district court on February 18, which was later rejected. On Monday, March 7, the Hyderabad police said that they located Mukarram Khan in a hospital in the city, where he was reportedly undergoing treatment for lung issues.
“Our team has reached the hospital but we could not make an arrest as he is under treatment. We have taken necessary steps for the arrest and the doctor who is treating him has to grant permission for the same. We are awaiting a report from the hospital,” Deputy Superintendent Basaveshwar Hira told Times of India.
The FIR against Khan was filed under sections 153(a) (Vilifying or attacking the religion, race, place of birth etc of a group), 298 (wounding religious feelings) and 295 (defiling place of worship with intent to hurt the religion of a class) of the Indian Penal Code.
Those stopping our children from wearing Hijab will be cut to pieces: Congress leader Mukarram Khan pic.twitter.com/Win5sun8LP
— Swati Goel Sharma (@swati_gs) February 17, 2022
Meanwhile, as the hijab issue remains unresolved in Karnataka, Bengaluru police chief Kamal Pant has extended prohibitory orders in place around educational institutions in the city, to March 22. The order says that any gathering, agitation or protest of any type within the 200-metre area of schools, PU colleges, degree colleges or other similar education institutions in Bengaluru city is barred.