Chennai, Feb 8 (IANS): Naveen Mohamedali, who directed the critically acclaimed Tamil film 'Moodar Koodam', on Tuesday expressed pain and concern at the intensifying hijab debate in Karnataka.

Posting a video clip that showed the intensity of the ongoing debate over not permitting Muslim girl students to wear hijabs inside educational institutions, the director said, "Looking at this situation, one is both pained and scared."

The director further said that we had let the poison of religious fanaticism enter young hearts and added that one could not stay peaceful, believing this wouldn't happen here as this was the land of the Periyar.

"Just a drop of poison is enough to poison a pot of clean water," the director pointed out.

On Sunday, the director had made it clear in a couple of tweets that be it wearing the mangalsutra or the hijab, both were a decision for women to make.

"...My mother, who was born a Muslim, never wore a pardha. My wife who was born a Hindu refused to wear a mangalsutra.

"However, those were both their decisions. They were not compelled by anybody to make those decisions. Women must decide what they wish to wear. Be it father, husband or society, nobody has a right to order in this matter," he had said.