“Dayavittu (please or kindly)”, said the teacher while closing the gate on hijab-wearing, Muslim girl students. Some educational institutions have barred hijabis from entering their campuses in Karnataka.
This means that they woke up one day and suddenly decided that this had to be banned. It’s pretty ironic! An experienced teacher said, “Dayavittu, artha madhkodi” (please understand).
But, at the same time, he is closing the door on students who want to study. What else is there to understand, when you do not understand the importance of your students studying?
From whatever little I worked in the primary education sector, I know that the teachers and cluster resource coordinator in a village go door-to-door, requesting families to send their kids to school, with their hands folded.
Girls Need To Be Brought Back To Schools
It’s often called an “enrollment drive” or “attendance campaign” in English, and namankan abhiyan or pravesh utsav in Hindi.
Children are called to a place that offers them colourful story books in the library, free food from the mid-day meal scheme, clean toilets, uniforms and textbooks.
The right to education gives every kid a fundamental right towards education, and the state has to do everything possible to take education to every child. The Vajpayee government ran a beautiful campaign to promote education and increase enrollment, with a song called: “school chalein hum (let’s go to school)!”
But, unfortunately, due to lockdown, many girls have dropped out of school. So, with the help of school management committees (SMCs) and additional teachers (fellows too), we are trying to get kids back to school.
Ironically, here these girls from a minority community want to study. They are at the doorstep of educational institutions, and instead of celebrating them or helping them, you are closing the door on them.
Access To Toilets Shouldn’t Be Restricted
A video on Twitter shows a hijabi student being heckled by a right-wing, male mob, chanting “jai shri Ram (victory to lord Ram)!” at a college in Mandya. Muskan Khan responded with chants of “Allahu akbar (god is the greatest)!”
This lead to an immense reaction and rage. As a result, the Karnataka administration shut all schools and colleges down for three days.
One hijabi student claimed that her institution didn’t even allow her to use the washroom on campus, so she had to go to a nearby public hospital’s loo. I think about all the WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) programs I have seen in schools and read about.
The UNICEF spent millions and promoted the fact that every school should have toilets for girls, menstrual hygiene management facilities, adequate water etc.
In fact, many NGOs (non-governmental organisations) in the education domain are attempting to get girls back to school only by focusing on toilets and hygiene… All this—to ensure that Indian children get educated and become better people.
Women’s Agency To Wear What They Want
I feel sorry for the teachers who were only doing their regular jobs but got sucked into this controversy. They should be teaching their students about equality, unity, justice, tranquility, and accessibility.
Instead, they have been enrolled in perpetuating hate, seclusion, and drama, during lockdown restrictions.
A famous Bollywood actor took to social media to ask why the turban is seen a choice, but not the hijab. Usually, these actors stay away from expressing their opinions. They only use their image to sell products.
Even Bollywood actors understand that the debate is about a woman’s agency, to wear what she wants. This is not about playing politics using her body.
I Am Dressed, NOT Oppressed!
I wish that in this madness and mob mentality, no one should physically violate each other, irrespective of religion. Young blood may hurt someone with different opinions and from a different party. Teachers should not justify such violence.
A senior employee in a healthcare consultancy in Bengaluru, Safura S, who wears a hijab, said that:
“My feelings are not that of rage, but sadness. I have crossed the stage of rage. It’s a pity that people living next to each other for years, don’t understand each other’s culture. There is a Twitter campaign going on, called: #dressednotoppressed. I think that pretty much defines my choice.”
If the hijab was oppressive and wasn’t women’s choice, why are Muslim women risking their lives to keep it on? 🤔 #DressedNotOppressed#KarnatakaHijabRow pic.twitter.com/qSewHLoVFe
— World HijabDay (@WorldHijabDay) February 11, 2022
She further added:
“With respect to my experience: yes, there is a misconception among people, locally or globally, regarding the hijab and niqab. However, I have met some amazing people in my organisation, who have always given me my space and respected my choices. And at times, they have defended these in front of others.”
The Hijab Is Not A Hindrance
Well, the hijab never stops someone from pursuing their education, but I am not sure if, after going through the ill-treatment meted out to their hijabi daughters, families will have the courage to send their daughters to pursue higher education.
Such drama and apathy from the state machinery will only increase the seclusion and ghettoisation, further increasing the gap between majority and minority communities.
Tarika Narula, PhD scholar at Patiala’s Punjabi University, said that:
“The needlessly cooked-up controversy may lead to a long-term feeling of anger or doubt in the minds of students, both towards their own self and others. Instead, they should have been encouraged to focus on their studies, especially now, when attending schools is becoming a luxury due to regular lockdowns.”
We Completed 75 Years Of Being A Republic
Today, Savitribai Phule and Fatima Sheikh would be proud of the girls striving for an education. Even after 100 years of them having gone from us, we are not letting girls study. On the other hand, the girls are fighting for an inclusive country.
They don’t have to win the argument. It’s the state which has to learn to be inclusive and tolerant. My hijab-wielding mother said that, “This behaviour, madness is sure to affect next year’s COMED*.”
(*COMEDK UGET is an exam conducted in Karnataka for all professional courses. Many north Indian students write it after getting saddened by their IIT results.)
In the meantime, the hijabi girls filed petitions in the Karnataka High Court to enable them to wear their hijabs, as it’s a fundamental right according to Article 25 of the Indian constitution.
Oh yeah, the irony is that we are celebrating azadi ka amrit mahotsav this year! It is a government of India initiative to mark 75 years of India being a progressive republic, its glorious history, culture and the achievements of its people.
We Need To Reduce The Education Gap
Dr Anjali Monterio, former Tata Institute of Social Sciences faculty said that,
“Instead of focusing on deconstructing the real digital divide, based on age, education, class, caste, gender, location etc., we are stopping students from studying. My heart breaks when I think of all the children deprived of education due to a lack of resources and access. All the non-literate tribals, farmers and landless labourers, have such a difficulty accessing their basic entitlements due to a lack of digital literacy. We have, by and large, a heartless state that doesn’t care enough to reach the poorest of the poor, except at election time.”
