Hijab ban unfair
THE ban on wearing hijabs and burqas in schools and in colleges in coastal Karnataka, which is now spreading to other states in the country, is a hate crime.
A prohibition on wearing the hijab and the burqa for Muslim female students in educational institutions in coastal Karnataka has sparked an outrage among the Muslim community with massive crowds going to the streets to protest against the restrictions.
The standoff in Karnataka has raised fear among minorities in the state about what they say in escalating persecution under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government.
On January 1, this year, the headmaster of a Pre-University College (PUC) in Udupi (Karnataka) forbade some female Muslim students from attending classes because they were wearing hijab that rendered the concept of uniform superfluous. This controversy spread to other educational institutions across the state, where Muslim students started demanding that they be allowed to attend schools and colleges wearing burqa and hijab.
On getting the news, hundreds of people took to the streets and waved the Indian National flag in at least two cities in the state as a protest. According to social media reports, one of the schools has allowed female Muslim students wearing the hijab to sit in separate classrooms. The state of Karnataka is governed by the Modi’s right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party and numerous members of the party have backed the ban which has been criticised by other political leaders.
Now if Sikhs in the state of Karnataka are allowed to wear the turban in schools and in colleges which is sacred to them, and Hindus allowed to put a bindi, pottu, vibhuti or a tilak on their foreheads then why not Muslim girls also be allowed to wear the hijab or the burqa in educational institutions? The law of the land should be the same to all.
The hijab is a veil that many Muslim women wear in accordance with their religion. It encourages them to dress in a modest manner. The hijab also has a long history. This type of head covering has been in existence long before Islam came into existence. The word ‘hijab’ is derived from an Arabic word ‘hajaba’, meaning ‘to conceal’ or ‘to hide’.
World Hijab Day is celebrated on February 1 every year. The latest news is that the Karnataka High Court has said that no religious garments should be allowed in schools and in colleges. This means that no burqas, no hijabs and no niqabs for Muslim female students inside educational institutions.
This is totally unfair. Why is the Karnataka government only targeting Muslims? Is it because Muslims are weak and cannot fight their battle? In India, Muslims are even called naxals and terrorists. Does the government want to throw out Muslims entirely from the State and from the country?
—The writer is contributing columnist, based in Mumbai, India
