This row erupted on January 1, at the Government PU College in Udupi in Karnataka, where six female students claimed that they were not allowed to enter classrooms wearing the hijab.
They addressed the media and said that the college authorities had refused to let them in with their faces covered.
These students then protested against the college authorities, which led to other students raising their voice.
Following this protest by the burkha-clad students, a large number of female and male students started demonstrating. This demonstration involved the use of saffron scarves.
In one of the videos from a college in Mandya in Karnataka, it was seen that a Muslim girl was saying “Allah Hu Akbar”. She was actually getting back at a group of boys sporting saffron scarves.
These boys were trying to heckle her by screaming “Jai Shri Ram” in front of her.
Several petitions were filed in Karnataka High Court on January 31, in which Muslim students sought the right to wear hijabs in classrooms under Article 14, 19 and 25 of the Constitution of India.
The court first heard this on February 8. The Karnataka government justified the ban on hijab in classrooms under its 1983 Education Act.
Even after the high court’s interim order, the controversy did not end. Some students maintained that they should be allowed to attend classes wearing hijab and burkha.
After that, the controversy reached the national capital.
There were Muslim and other student organisations staging protests against the ban on hijab at Shaheen Bagh and then at Delhi University.
Here, we profile some women based in Delhi from different professions, who share their experience of wearing a hijab and explain why it is a part of their faith.
Ansha Ashraf
English literature student, Miranda House
Student of an elite college, she has been wearing a hijab since she was in Class II. Originally from Kerala, Ansha was a part of the protests organised by Muslim organisations against the hijab ban in Delhi University last week.
“We raised our voices for our basic rights. There are Muslims who wear hijabs and there are some who don’t. Hijab is an essential practise in Islam but people have different opinions and understanding. But who are we to compel anyone to wear it or remove it? In Islam, nowhere is it mentioned specifically about hijab. But it does say that cover your body when in public and this is what we are following. One needs to respect this. Sikh community wears a turban and we respect that. Hindu women sport a bindi and we respect that. Christians also have a dress code. We have the freedom to choose what we wear. Wearing a headscarf does not break any rule.”
Safoora Zargar
Student activist, Jamia Millia Islamia University
“I have been very vocal against the hijab ban. I believe women have a right to wear whatever they wish and also, the right to dress up according to their own wishes irrespective of religion. It should not be anybody’s business (to comment) if I wish to cover myself up in a manner I wish. There are highly educated women who believe hijab is a part of their faith and it doesn’t matter how progressive they are. Faith never takes a backseat if somebody is modern or progressive.”
Eram Khan
Corporate finance specialist, Ericsson
It’s rare to find a woman in hijab working with an MNC. She started wearing it in 2018 after the CAA-NRC protests, when some Muslims were forced to change their names and even had to remove their hijabs so that their identity did not get revealed.
“The CAA-NRC protests in Delhi were the most traumatising days in the lives of Muslims. This is when I decided to start wearing a hijab. I had to lie in the office about this sudden adoption of mine. I said I have an injury on my head which is why I started wearing it. Many at the office are uncomfortable with my attire. Even in my presentations, they used my old photos and I had to insist that my new picture in hijab be used. It doesn’t matter what anyone thinks of me, till the time I am comfortable and proud of myself.” Eram says she has a point.
“Hijab is commanded in Quran and so it is an integral part of Islamic faith and Muslim culture. It has been worn by women since ages. It is a fundamental right as per the Constitution. Those who support the hijab ban won’t ban other religious symbols like tilak or pagdi. How will they react if some government bans vegetarian food and mandates beef consumption for all students in canteens in the name of uniformity and secularisation? It is another step taken by saffron forces to further humiliate Muslims by using the state machinery as a part of a larger genocide propaganda, similar to what the Nazis did. Some say wearing hijab is old culture and removing it is advancement. The answer is, if showing body parts is advancement, then animals are more advanced than you.”
Sobia Fatima
Physiotherapist, Geriatrics Medicine department, AIIMS
It has been 22 years since Sobia started wearing the hijab. She says that never in her life did she face any issues because of it, be it in school, college or her workplace.
Hailing from Bihar, she says, “The way my parents nurtured me and the upbringing I got from my grandparents, I started wearing a hijab. By the time I was in college, it became a part of my attire and I never felt a need to remove it. I did my studies in Punjab and then came to Delhi for further studies. Not even once was I told or questioned about my choice of wearing a hijab. Initially, being a medical professional, I had problems having a stethoscope inside the hijab, but somehow I managed. During my internship days also, authorities used to tell me that I may have to remove it but I ignored them. After working with different groups of people, I realised that educated people will always respect you. It doesn’t matter to them which religion you follow, what you wear or how you pray. It is just your work that matters to them. However, people creating this hijab issue these days are those who don’t have any other work or are not aware of basic rights. There are restrictions in some countries on hijab but we are part of a democratic country. We can’t be questioned on what we choose to wear on our head.”
Aafreen Fatima
Former JNU student and student activist
“The answer to the question if hijab should or should not be banned is that hijab is an individual right, communitarian choice and it is about liberty.” Vocal during the CAA-NRC protests in Delhi, she started wearing it in 2019, after completing graduation.
“The government or administration telling us what or what not to wear is a problem. Hijab, to me, is like any other part of my clothing. It looks weird when I step out of home without it. It is my religious freedom after all. We cannot debate over the requirements of any religion. Religious requirements need respect and consideration and not hatred. The state can’t tell us that you can only follow this much of your faith. If some day, any university comes up with a notice stating that hijab is banned, civil disobedience will be the result.”
Aisha Islam
Asst Professor, State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT)
A Delhi-based educationist who has been adorning the hijab since the last 12 years, Aisha believes that it has become a part of her body. This is something without which she can’t step out of her house.
“It was 2010 when I had started my job and since then, I don’t remember a day when I removed my headscarf no matter what. I keep attending national and international level educational programmes. Never has anyone doubted me for my attire. Rather, a lot of people appreciated my culture and that’s what I am proud of. I strongly believe that educated people will never indulge in such irrelevant debates on banning something which is related to Islam. In fact, Islam is a secondary thing in a democratic country like India where we have all the liberty to choose what we wear.”
She adds, “Burkha is nowhere mentioned in the Quran. We are not even asked to wear a black burkha as it is considered to be. We are just asked to cover our bodies in whichever manner we can. It is not only about Islam. You’ll find this in every religion. Nomenclatures may be different, but people follow their faith. Very old people belonging to royal families will still be seen covering their heads. So why has this issue erupted in this century? People should understand that this is merely a political agenda to create a vote bank.”
Dr Lubna Kamal
Homeopathic nephrologist, Nano Homeopathy Private Limited
It was the year of 9/11, when Lubna started wearing a hijab and despite many obstructions, she never thought of removing it.
“When I started wearing the hijab, some of my teachers were against it. Every day, I was asked to remove it and I used to remove it. But in the next class, I would wear it again. After some time, the teachers, school authorities stopped noticing and it became habitual.”
She adds, “While I believe that nothing should be forced on women, whether to adorn the hijab or something else, but one should respect the freedom of what one chooses to wear. Also, Muslims should stop falling for such issues. They should stop perceiving it as an attack on Islam. These are all political gimmicks to polarise votes. Secondly, it is a fundamental right. A government institution can never impose such restrictions. Muslim and Hindu hardliners have worked together to bring this controversy to this level.”
She says that this actually a part of something else.
“Islam by no way is rigid and people should understand that. Politicians and clerics have vested interests, which is why they are creating an issue of this. The hijab was not introduced this year, and all of a sudden it has become an issue.”