Muskan, a hijab-wearing student in India’s Karnataka is making headlines for standing up to extremists who were protesting to ban Hijabs in educational institutions. The Islamophobic protestors were not letting her enter her college where she went to submit an assignment, just because she was wearing a burqa. To that intolerant bunch chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ she replied ‘Allah Hu Akbar.’
A video of the incident went viral on Twitter as it touched a raw nerve in Muslims both in India as well as Pakistan. Many are lauding her for standing her ground and not staying silent like many when being denied their rights. Well-known personalities and celebrities showed their support and the incident paved the way for much-needed conversations.
It is heartening to see Indians going public in their support for Muskan. She single-handedly gave voice to a silent majority in India that somehow got lost in the rising Islamophobia and Hindutva ideology in the country.
Nobel Prize laureate and a prominent voice for furthering women empowerment and their right to education, Malala Yousafzai, also tweeted against the unjustified ban on hijab in educational institutions in India. She called upon Indian leaders to put an end to the marginalisation of Muslim women.
Her tweet read, “Refusing to let girls go to school in their hijabs is horrifying. Objectification of women persists — for wearing less or more. Indian leaders must stop the marginalization of Muslim women.”
A Matter Of Choice, Not Clothes
While people have nothing but respect for Muskan standing up for her choice to wear a Hijab, shouldn’t this apply to women who don’t want to wear it too?
“If Muskan of India wants to wear a hijab, she must be given her basic right. If Muskan of Pakistan does not want to wear a hijab, she must also be given her basic right. Mera jism Meri Marzi slogan stands true for both Muskans. It’s a matter of choice, not attire.”
“Dear Pakistanis, If you are saying that hijab is a free choice, then you should also understand that women who don’t wear hijab also have that free choice. So kindly don’t get bothered when the women chant “Mera Jism Meri Marzi” in Aurat March.”
“You shouldn’t have to remove your Hijab to exist freely in France or India. You shouldn’t have to wear a Hijab to exist freely in Afghanistan or Iran. Women deserve freedom of bodily autonomy. Period. Aurat march has this simple ideology.’
Those who belong to an orthodox school of thought and those who are inclined towards liberal thinking – a large number of people from both schools of thought are standing up for the Muskans of the world. Don’t you think the matter shouldn’t be limited to clothing or Hijab for that matter? People should take a stand for women or the violation of any right regardless of their clothing.
Let’s not be selectively ‘woke’ here, let’s move beyond a woman’s clothes and respect her right to choose. What are your thoughts on this? Tell us!
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Sources used in this article include Al Jazeerah
