Right now, educational institutes run by the state government are stopping hijab-wearing students from attending class in parts of Karnataka. When you hear such a thing—about the hijab (headscarf worn by Muslim women to cover their hair) being banned from the dress code of educational institutes—it’s appalling!
The places which ought to promote inclusivity, equality and teach their students to learn to accept difference, is teaching young kids authoritarian behaviour to achieve forced uniformity.
Are We A Global Superpower Yet?
A government pre-university college decided to keep hijabis out of the classroom as a punishment, on the pretext of disciplining students wearing the hijab. Apparently, it can’t be a part of their dress code.
They have decided to sit outside, on the staircases and in front of the gate till the administrations change their discriminatory policy. A video on Twitter shows them doing so. Some tweeted saying this may cause a law and order issue in the vicinity.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave India a word of identity. He called us vishwaguru (world superpower). According to Wikipedia, it’s a Sanskrit phrase and it can be loosely translated as world/global teacher.
Well, nobody asked us, nor has anybody claimed to be in this competition. Our supreme leader didn’t announce this on the basis of health and education indices, digital competencies, civil liberties, or by accounting for our press freedom. Hence, I am not sure of this marker.
Positions Taken By Concerned Citizens
The said educational institutes are hellbent on keeping the hijabi students out of their classrooms, particularly when their exams are coming up after the couple of months.
Asama Firdose, the principal of a girls’ school in Bengaluru, and a core team member of the national school development program of a private NGO (non-governmental organisation), expressed surprise over the ‘hijab ban’ and not letting girl students study.
While referring to the Udupi case, Firdose said that,
“As an academician, I feel that this is a clear case of discrimination based on religion. It is illegal, unconstitutional, and against the principle of secularism. The very objective of running an educational institute is lost. The mental health of the students is very much disturbed by this ban as they have lost their attendance since December 15, 2021, and hence, they could fall short on it, too. Not to forget, the students are in the age group of 17-18 years.”
She highlighted the mental health and age of the students. Perhaps, this could be the way to become a vishwaguru, where we fight with girl students over a piece of cloth; and hide behind the code of ‘uniformity’ when asked about the right to education.
Everybody Has A Right To Express Their Identity
It is quite unfortunate that a piece of cloth is causing Karnataka’s education minister and the National Human Rights Commission to get worked up. And still, these educational institutions don’t have a set of framed, inclusive, dress codes.
Education minister, BC Nagesh termed wearing a hijab to educational institutes as indiscipline. The state government is about to make new set of rules addressing wearing the hijab in educational institutions.
Srabanti Das Gupta, a concerned citizen, expressed her displeasure on social media. Das Gupta said:
“Just let her study. Who cares if she is wearing a hijab or not! Why is it so important? Everybody has a right to express their identity. And, those who think they need to extrapolate a very irrelevant thing, make it a political problem. If being a Muslim girl hinders her education, then shame on us!”
Historical Context From The Region
Instead of accepting diversity and celebrating equality, we are keeping girls away from classrooms—a great anomaly if one considers the “beti bachao, beti padhao” (save the girl child, educate the girl child) slogan chanted by our supreme leader.
He did say “sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas” (everyone’s support, development and trust), which the foot soldiers on the ground seem to have perceived as something that Muslims can be excluded from.
Konkan Karnataka has always been a right-wing kitchen which has been used to push the envelope and test right-wing possibilities, from almost a decade and a half.
I was at the Udupi beach with friends when a group of boys threatened a bearded guy among us, because they thought that he was a Muslim. We tried to laugh it off saying that he was not a Muslim, and that he hadn’t shaved his beard just because he was being lazy. This incident shook me to the core.
What if he was a Muslim? What would the young boys have done? Also, being Muslim, what would I have done to to protect myself from such a threatening reaction?
It Started With Moral Policing
This is the same region where moral policing found its roots and wings, when members of the Sri Ram Sene beat up women drinking in a bar, in the name of Indian culture. It is to be noted that after a long court battle, they were acquitted due to lack of evidence.
This happened even though videos of the moral policing incident (beating up women) are available. You can do a simple Google search or cross check on YouTube, to see the nuisance for yourself.
Pramod Muthalik of the Sri Ram Sene had joined the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party). LK Advani kicked him out of the BJP within a couple of hours after his celebrated joining.
This is the same region, where Naveen Soorinje, a Kannada journalist, was arrested and kept in jail for reporting that right-wing goons had troubled youths partying in a Mangalore homestay, including slapping a girl. He was in jail till there was widespread outrage for him to be released.
It is a matter of grave concern about where we are headed as a community if we are not able to tolerate a piece of cloth. Is this going to be a benchmark for our girls from now on? Will they not be allowed to express themselves and their identity?
Muslims Are Being Increasingly Policed
The Sangh Parivar requires a boiling pot. Unfortunately, right-wing students wore saffron cloths on their necks, not to support their fellow students, but to go against them.
Other places have come out with newer bans. For instance, there were objections to a Muslim standup comic’s show. There is no logic and this is done just to ensure political brownie points.
You are not teaching diversity, acceptance and inclusion to children. Instead, you are asking them to abide by authority, seclusion and hate. Is this the new India we were aspiring for?
A senior, corporate professional, Dr Fareen Choudhary, shared her hijab story with me. Dr Choudhary said:
“My journey with the hijab started in 2011. It was my first day at the Ayurverdic Medical College. It has been 10 years since then. I wear it in all professional spaces. In my opinion, any person should be only judged on their intellect and behaviour. I feel as confident and pretty in a hijab as I did without it. In fact, it’s liberating! This ban is not only hindering girls’ education, but it is also putting them in a vulnerable position.”
She further added:
“In the corporate world, the fear of not getting good jobs, facing the HR (human resources), attending formal gettogethers is difficult because with the hijab, one can no longer blend in with the crowd, physically and emotionally. In a way, wearing the hijab and the initial reactions I got made me more sensitive towards the needs and representation of Muslin women in the mainstream media and public platforms. I hope to minimise the misconceptions about the hijab. Thus, the hijab is not a hindrance for us. Such a ban only reveals your mentality.”
Right To Freedom Of Religion In India
In Article 25 of the Indian constitution, it is clearly mentioned that the religious freedom enjoyed by every individual, is a basic element of having your dignity intact. Unfortunately, in 2022, we still hear news of discriminating against kids on the basis of what they wear.
On the one hand, we claim to be a vishwaguru. On the other hand, we are unable to digest a piece of cloth. Referring to the hijab, the state’s right-wing government recently said that “clothes which disturb equality, integrity and public law and order should not be worn.”
According to this logic, sati, triple talaq, and every law demanding progressiveness should be repealed, as it may cause law and order issue. It sounds more like a threat to me, causing the administration to bend on its knees, rather than the quest for equality.
I hope that justice and common sense will prevail, before exams are conducted. Hopefully, the central government efforts will cause Karnataka to rethink so as to come up with an inclusive and positive regulation.
As of now, the world is watching the educational institutions in Udupi and Chikmangluru, Karnataka state government, Udupi district magistrate and National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) getting involved on deciding the future of these students.
My old mother quipped: “Such big people are deciding whether a girl should wear a scarf or not.”