India will one day have hijab-clad woman as PM, says Owaisi; BJP slams his ‘irresponsible’ remark

AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi said a hijab-wearing woman will one day become the Prime Minister of India because the country’s Constitution grants equal status to people from all communities, unlike Pakistan, which limits top constitutional posts to a single community.

Her remarks drew a harsh response from the ruling BJP, which said the Hyderabad MP was presenting a half-truth with her “irresponsible” statement about Muslim women not wanting to wear hijab.

Addressing a public meeting ahead of the January 15 elections in Solapur, Maharashtra, on Friday (January 9), Mr. Owaisi said, “The Constitution of India grants equal status to people from all communities, unlike the Constitution of Pakistan, which restricts the highest constitutional authorities of the country to members of a single community.” he said. He added that although he may not be alive to see it, there will come a day in the future when a headscarved woman will become the Prime Minister of India.

Responding to this, BJP MP Anil Bonde said Mr. Owaisi had made irresponsible statements and accused him of presenting half-truth.

Stating that women in Iran protest the headscarf, Bonde claimed that just as they do not want anyone to be subjugated, Muslim women do not want this either.

He also appealed for Hindu unity, claiming that demographic imbalance was emerging in India.