Hijab issue raised by those wanting obedient daughter, submissive sister, sanskari bahu

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*
The incidents happening in the southern part of Karnataka are deeply distressing and need to be resolved at the earliest. Unfortunately, rather than resolving the issue, the current regime has wanted to escalate it further, and as its modus operandi, the ruling party has encouraged students to counter demand of the Muslim girls wearing Hijab by offering saffron scarves.
Friends were converted into foes in a short span of time, as those who want to reap the benefits of division are determined to have their way. This is bound to happen when those who have least respect for the Constitution and for an inclusive nationalist movement, encourage people towards divisive politics, as it has ‘paid’ them full dividends. The Right to Education (RTE) is meant for all, irrespective of faith and choice of clothes.irr
On one hand, Hindutva protagonists want Hindu women to follow ‘tradition’, glamorizing all the symbols of regression as ‘culture’, blaming ‘western’ influence on our culture, beating up and harassing women wearing jeans or T-shirts. On the other, many of those who do it sit in the western world trolling women who speak for themselves in the most vulgar and filthy language.
Their ideal woman, in their view, is the one who multitasks, who should be an ‘obedient’ daughter, a submissive sister, a ‘sanskari’ bahu, and a mother-in-law who harasses the daughter in law for the sake of her son.
Oppression within Hindu society not their agenda. They don't talk about women dying of dowry, untouchability and caste discrimination. Their heart does not sink when female infanticide takes place and when women at young age are molested and harassed. All this has never been the Sangh Parivar agenda. The only agenda they have is to find holes in the Muslim and Christian social-cultural systems.
While the issue of hijab and veils is important, that should emerge from the Muslim community. Like sindoor and mangalsutra being worn by Hindu women as their identity, Muslim women use hijab as identity.
When a community is pushed to isolation, right-wing regressive forces emerge. Hijab was defended by a girl who can speak as boldly as anyone. Keeping her head high, she was seen driving a two wheeler as confidently as anyone.
Sikhs wear turban and kripan which is part of their culture. There are many societies in the western world, where issues of identities have been challenged through a new ‘national’ identity but it is always a complex issue. France is facing this at the moment. UK and USA grappled with the issue, but they mixed hijab with Burqa.
The hijab issue can be resolved if voices emerge from within the community. It is not that the community does not change, but when "outsiders" determinedly harass and embarrass the community to do away with it, it turns into its religious right.
The Karantaka government must not allow it to escalate as a Hindu-Muslim issue. It must allow girls to attend classes as usual. India will be best governed through a secular Constitution when those responsible for rule of law and Constitution are impartial and committed to their core values. Propagating deeply orthodox Brahminical values while opposing other religious practices is pure hypocrisy.

Those who claim that the burqa issue is another Shahbano case must remember that it was imposed all of a sudden on the Muslim girls. They should decide whether our state-funded schools and colleges should remain absolutely secular without allowing any core value of any religion to be promoted. Converting government schools into a den of Brahminical cultural practices and then preaching ‘morality’ of ‘modernism’ is absolute hypocrisy.
One knows who is behind this and what is their aimed. The situation in Uttar Pradesh is becoming difficult, hence every effort is being made to create this crisis as an opportunity to vilify the community and blame all those who speak for their rights as anti-national.
It is time the Supreme Court takes a suo motu cognizance of it and defend the rights of these girls. It should either ban all kind of religious symbols in government schools or fix up a minimum code of conduct so that no one is punished because of identity or cultural practices.
Shouting Jai Shri Ram or Allaho Akbar to fight and harass each other won't help. One hopes school authorities and the Karnataka government will ensure that no untoward incident happens.
Surely, protests by the boys and girls against Hijab are not spontaneous and there are forces behind them. Nothing will happen to those in power, as they have decided to bring these issues to gain politically. Hence, only the Supreme Court can bring order to what is happening. But will it act?
---
*Human rights defender. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vbrawat; twitter: @freetohumanity

Comments

AdhikariH said…

Mr. Rawat's argument is absolutely justifiable. Before 42nd amendment of our constitution in 1976, India was not a secular nation. But all religious groups usually followed their very own religious practices or 'cultures'. There was rarely any conflict or debate on religious practice issue. Now we live in a highly politicalized society where politics for pill gain get priority. Anyway, according to the 'Right to Education' no one can be victim in education in religious grounds. Then why Madrassah Education system till exists. Is it not a bad system of making a difference Muslim from others? Can we support this discrimination?

February 10, 2022

From plagiarism to proxy exams: Galgotias and systemic failure in education

By Sandeep Pandey* Shock is being expressed at Galgotias University being found presenting a Chinese-made robotic dog and a South Korean-made soccer-playing drone as its own creations at the recently held India AI Impact Summit 2026, a global event in New Delhi. Earlier, a UGC-listed journal had published a paper from the university titled “Corona Virus Killed by Sound Vibrations Produced by Thali or Ghanti: A Potential Hypothesis,” which became the subject of widespread ridicule. Following the robotic dog controversy coming to light, the university has withdrawn the paper. These incidents are symptoms of deeper problems afflicting the Indian education system in general. Galgotias merely bit off more than it could chew.

Covishield controversy: How India ignored a warning voice during the pandemic

Dr Amitav Banerjee, MD * It is a matter of pride for us that a person of Indian origin, presently Director of National Institute of Health, USA, is poised to take over one of the most powerful roles in public health. Professor Jay Bhattacharya, an Indian origin physician and a health economist, from Stanford University, USA, will be assuming the appointment of acting head of the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), USA. Bhattacharya would be leading two apex institutions in the field of public health which not only shape American health policies but act as bellwether globally.

The 'glass cliff' at Galgotias: How a university’s AI crisis became a gendered blame game

By Mohd. Ziyaullah Khan* “She was not aware of the technical origins of the product and in her enthusiasm of being on camera, gave factually incorrect information.” These were the words used in the official press release by Galgotias University following the controversy at the AI Impact Summit in Delhi. The statement came across as defensive, petty, and deeply insensitive.

Farewell to Saleem Samad: A life devoted to fearless journalism

By Nava Thakuria* Heartbreaking news arrived from Dhaka as the vibrant city lost one of its most active and committed citizens with the passing of journalist, author and progressive Bangladeshi national Saleem Samad. A gentleman who always had issues to discuss with anyone, anywhere and at any time, he passed away on 22 February 2026 while undergoing cancer treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. He was 74.

Growth without justice: The politics of wealth and the economics of hunger

By Vikas Meshram* In modern history, few periods have displayed such a grotesque and contradictory picture of wealth as the present. On one side, a handful of individuals accumulate in a single year more wealth than the annual income of entire nations. On the other, nearly every fourth person in the world goes to bed hungry or half-fed.

From ancient wisdom to modern nationhood: The Indian story

By Syed Osman Sher South of the Himalayas lies a triangular stretch of land, spreading about 2,000 miles in each direction—a world of rare magic. It has fired the imagination of wanderers, settlers, raiders, traders, conquerors, and colonizers. They entered this country bringing with them new ethnicities, cultures, customs, religions, and languages.

Thali, COVID and academic credibility: All about the 2020 'pseudoscientific' Galgotias paper

By Jag Jivan* The first page image of the paper "Corona Virus Killed by Sound Vibrations Produced by Thali or Ghanti: A Potential Hypothesis" published in the Journal of Molecular Pharmaceuticals and Regulatory Affairs , Vol. 2, Issue 2 (2020), has gone viral on social media in the wake of the controversy surrounding a Chinese robot presented by the Galgotias University as its original product at the just-concluded AI summit in Delhi . The resurfacing of the 2020 publication, authored by Dharmendra Kumar , Galgotias University, has reignited debate over academic standards and scientific credibility.

'Serious violation of international law': US pressure on Mexico to stop oil shipments to Cuba

By Vijay Prashad In January 2026, US President Donald Trump declared Cuba to be an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to US security—a designation that allows the United States government to use sweeping economic restrictions traditionally reserved for national security adversaries. The US blockade against Cuba began in the 1960s, right after the Cuban Revolution of 1959 but has tightened over the years. Without any mandate from the United Nations Security Council—which permits sanctions under strict conditions—the United States has operated an illegal, unilateral blockade that tries to force countries from around the world to stop doing basic commerce with Cuba. The new restrictions focus on oil. The United States government has threatened tariffs and sanctions on any country that sells or transports oil to Cuba.

Conversion laws and national identity: A Jesuit response response to the Hindutva narrative

By Rajiv Shah A recent book, " Luminous Footprints: The Christian Impact on India ", authored by two Jesuit scholars, Dr. Lancy Lobo and Dr. Denzil Fernandes , seeks to counter the current dominant narrative on Indian Christians , which equates evangelisation with conversion, and education, health and the social services provided by Christians as meant to lure -- even force -- vulnerable sections into Christianity.

Search This Blog