Udupi: Aliya Assadi, a hijab activist known for her departure from her second PUC exams after being denied the opportunity to wear a hijab in class and at the examination center, has publicly criticized former BJP MLA Raghupathi Bhat. Bhat, recently expelled from the BJP, had reportedly influenced policies that affected students wearing hijabs during exams.
In a tweet, Assadi expressed a sense of poetic justice over Bhat’s expulsion from the BJP. "When I was an expelled student, you earned a degree in the party. Today, I am a law student, and you are the one being expelled," she wrote. Assadi conveyed her satisfaction, stating, "God will do what He wills. Not only did you kick me out of college solely for wearing a hijab with 60 days left for the annual exam, but I also got to witness the moment when the same party expelled you today."
Raghupathi Bhat, who has been a significant political figure in Udupi Constituency, ran as an independent candidate in the recent elections for the South West Graduate Constituency after his expulsion from the BJP. His expulsion follows a controversial tenure marked by allegations of pressuring educational institutions to enforce a ban on hijabs, which came to public attention during last year's examination season.
The tweet from Assadi has stirred reactions on social media, highlighting ongoing debates around religious attire and educational policies in India.