Miss Universe Harnaaz Sandhu speaks up for Hijabi girls in India

• “Let them live the way they choose to," the 22-year-old beauty queen says of Hijabi girls.
• Says let hijabi girls reach their destinations, let them fly.
• Karnataka High Court on March 15 dismissed petitions seeking to allow wearing hijab inside classrooms.

Amid the ongoing hijab ban in schools of India which has drawn the ire of Muslims and rights activists from across the globe, Miss Universe Harnaaz Sandhu has spoken up for the rights of Hijabi girls.

According to The Print, Sandhu — during a question and answer session — appealed to the Indian society to stop targeting girls, including Muslim girls who choose to wear the hijab.

“Let them live the way they choose to," the 22-year-old beauty queen said. 

In a clip, which was widely shared on Twitter and Facebook, Sandhu could be seen answering a reporter's question on the issue of the hijab.

“Honestly, why do you always target girls? Even now you are targeting me. Like, even on the issue of hijab the girls are being targeted. Let them (girls) live the way they choose to, let her reach her destination, let her fly, those are her wings, don’t cut them, if you must (cut someone’s wings) cut your own,” Sandhu said.

It should be noted that the Karnataka High Court on March 15 dismissed petitions seeking to allow wearing hijab inside classrooms after anti-hijab protests from right-wing Hindu groups escalated in the state. 

"The hijab is not an essential religious practice," the Karnataka High Court ruled as it backed a ban on wearing hijab in classrooms.

"The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to accord urgent hearing on the pleas challenging the Karnataka High Court verdict," the report said.