United Democratic Front (UDF) councillors of Malappuram district panchayat, Malappuram municipality and neighbouring panchayats staged a protest here on Thursday condemning the Gujarat government for forcing three Muslim panchayat presidents from Kerala to remove their headscarf at a meeting attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“This is nothing but fascism. No sensible person who has faith in the secular credentials of the country can agree with this shameful act. It’s an insult not only to the faith of those panchayat presidents, but to women on International Women’s Day,” said district panchayat standing committee chairman Salim Kuruvambalam.
Muppinand panchayat president Shaharban Saidalavi, Thrikkaripur panchayat president V.P. Fausiya and Chenkala panchayat president Shahina Sali were asked to remove their headscarf while attending the Swach Shakti 2017 meeting of women civic body heads from across the country at Gandhi Nagar on Wednesday.
The action by the security officials had drawn widespread criticism.
Raising slogans against the Prime Minister, the councillors said the incident was testimony to his fascist mindset.
