'Al-Qaeda will never understand but Indian Muslims will': Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma on Al Zawahiri's remarks on India's Hijab row

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday reacting on Al-Qaeda minister's video over Hijab Row said that Al-Qaeda will never understand but Indian Muslims will.

Al Qaeda chief Ayman Al Zawahiri, in a video released on Tuesday, spoke on the hijab controversy in India and asked Muslims in the subcontinent to fight the perceived assault on Islam “intellectually, using the media and with weapons on the battlefield”.

Mr Biswa commenting on Zawahiri's statements said, "Karnataka High Court gave a clear verdict that it's not expected of a student to wear hijab, term uniform came so that there's no difference b/w Hindu/Muslim."

"Karnataka High Court gave a clear verdict that it's not expected of a student to wear hijab...term uniform came so that there's no difference b/w Hindu/Muslim..Al-Qaeda will never understand but Indian Muslims will," the Assam CM was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

In an almost nine-minute video released by Al Qaeda mouthpiece As-Sahab media on Tuesday, Zawahiri showered praise on Muskan Khan, the Karnataka student who raised slogans of Allah-hu-Akbar after being heckled by a right-wing Hindu mob shouting slogans of “Jai Shri Ram” this February. Zawahiri said that her “defiant slogan of takbeer” as she challenged “a mob of Hindu polytheists” had “emboldened the spirit of Jihad” and had reawakened the Muslim community.

Karnataka Minister Araga Jnanendra claimed that it proves involvement of "unseen hands" behind the row.

He said the Home and Police department officials are keeping a watch on developments and track things in this connection.

"We have been saying this from the beginning, and the High Court too during the hijab verdict had suggested the possibility of some unseen hands behind the hijab row...now it is proved, because Al-Qaeda people are now releasing videos," Jnanendra said in response to a question on Zawahiri praising Muskaan.