Tellingly, on February 11, the compliant Supreme Court of India said that "it will only interfere at an appropriate time."
A girl in the Indian state of Karnataka had approached the apex court after the state's high court on Thursday advised students to avoid wearing "religious garments" until it decides on a case involving hijab restrictions in schools and colleges.
"Don't spread these things to a national level. We will interfere only at an appropriate time," Chief Justice NV Ramana, who declined an urgent hearing on the matter, was quoted as saying by NDTV.
According to the report, when a lawyer pressed the court to take it up, arguing that the case had "far-reaching implications" and that students had been wearing the hijab or headscarf for 10 years, the Supreme Court remained firm.
"Please do not spread it to larger levels" we know what is happening. Think over, is it proper to bring these things to Delhi? The national level? If there is anything wrong, we will protect..." CJ Ramana said.
Hindus for Human Rights to lobby US Congress
The Executive Director of Hindus for Human Rights, a US-based civil society organization, says that her organization will "certainly intensify and escalate" efforts to lobby the US Congress and Biden Administration to speak out against Hindutva and India's treatment of minorities and muslims in particular.
Sunita Viswanath says the Modi government stands for "a fascist India" and added that it's important for Hindus to combat Hindutva. "The majority community must wake up", she said. "The fact Hindus are silent is alarming and dangerous " if Hindus don't participate, it's impossible to fight Hindutva."
In a 30-minute interview to Karan Thapar for The Wire, Sunita Viswanath explained why her organization played a lead role, alongside 16 other civil society organizations in the US, in lobbying the US Congress against the treatment of Muslims and minorities in India on the 12th and 26th of January. She said she did this because "the world needs to understand something is wrong in India " India is on a very dangerous path".
Speaking further about the two Congressional briefings on India's treatment of Muslims which she organized, she said: "We are US citizens. We have the power to influence and move US lawmakers and the Biden Administration to speak out." She added "it hasn't happened enough".
She also said she was speaking out in defense of true Hinduism, a religion she loves, which would not condone or accept the othering of Muslims.
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