Al-Qaida's Ayman al-Zawahiri Jumps Into Karnataka Hijab Row, Praises Muskan Khan In A Poem
Ayman al-Zawahiri, the chief of the international terror outfit Al-Qaida has resurfaced in a video, for the first time in months, quashing rumors of his death.
In the video, which was released by Al- Qaida¡¯s Shabab media, al-Zawahiri spoke about the ongoing hijab row in Karnataka.
What al-Zawahiri said
In the video, titled 'The Noble Woman of India', Zawahiri said the hijab controversy brought the reality of 'Hindu India' and its democracy to the fore.
He accused the government of allegedly mistreating Muslims living in the country. He asked Muslims in India to react to the hijab controversy.
He also spoke about Muskan Khan, a Hijab-wearing Muslim student who had gone viral after she stood up to a mob chanting Jai Shri Ram.
Zawahiri said that he decided to write the poem as he was very impressed with ¡°a sister¡± and her raising ¡°cries of Takbeer¡±.
Al-Zawahiri, not dead, yet
Previous videos of Zawahri could not clearly identify the time in which they were recorded, fueling speculation about his deteriorating health and even his death.
There is no clear indication of the location of Zawahri from the video. He is shown in a traditional white head scarf beside a poster praising ``the noble woman of India.''
However, it raises the specter of al Qaida having a presence in Afghanistan, and highlights concerns over the commitment of the ruling Taliban to fight terrorist groups and deny them space in Afghanistan.
This is the first time since November 2020, that Zawahri who took over leadership of al Qaida after the 2011 death of Osama bin Laden has appeared in a video.
Zawahri has been rumored to be Afghanistan's northwestern Kunar and Badakhshan provinces on the border with Pakistan. The border region between Pakistan and Afghanistan is lined with inhospitable mountain ranges that have served as redoubts for a number of terrorist groups in the region.
Amir Rana, executive director of the Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies think tank said that Zawahri was also rumored to be in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi, where many of the Taliban leaders long maintained homes during Afghanistan's 20-year war.
"He was even rumored to have died in Karachi,'' said Rana.
Karnataka hijab row
Since the beginning of 2022, Karnataka had witnessed unprecedented scenes over Muslim students wearing hijabs in schools and colleges, which at times turned violent, forcing authorities to suspend classes.?
The Karnataka High Court had last month upheld the ban on Muslim students wearing hijab inside educational institutions.
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