The current controversy erupted after Al-Qaeda's global terrorist Zawahiri in a nine-minute video praised Muskan Khan, a college student from Mandya district, for raising the slogan 'Allahu Akbar' to counter a mob chanting 'Jai Shri Ram' in the college premises at the height of the hijab crisis in Karnataka.

 

In the video titled 'The Noble Woman of India', Zawahiri could be heard reciting a poem he composed to praise Muskan.

 

Speaking to reporters at the Congress headquarters here, AICC General Secretary Maken said, "We want to make one thing clear. We condemn the statement made by the Al-Qaeda leader in connection with the hijab row.

 

"Al-Qaeda is a banned terrorist outfit and it has no right to comment on the internal matters of India. We will resolve our own issues and there is no need for any external intervention."

 

Maken also condemned the recent statement of Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra, who triggered a row by claiming that a Dalit youth had been stabbed to death in Bengaluru on Tuesday for not speaking in Urdu. The minister later withdrew his statement, as the police probe proved it to be a case of road rage.

 

"The Al-Qaeda and the Karnataka Home Minister are doing the same thing. Both are trying to vitiate the atmosphere in the country. The Right-wing elements here are supporting their counter parts abroad," Maken said.

 

"Karnataka has its own culture. This part of the country is attracting foreign investments for the same reason. Do not destroy the dignity of the state by spoiling the atmosphere of peace," he added.

 

Meanwhile, state Congress President D.K. Shivakumar demanded that Jnanendra should be sacked for his statements.