Life is difficult enough without wrangling over pointless adrenal issues. The main obstacle preventing India from becoming a superpower and super-economy is the irrational issue of religion. We take pride in proclaiming to the world that we are a varied population made up of thousands of ethnic groups and potentially hundreds of languages.
But, deep down, we’re only a matter of time before we go nuclear. We are full of thoughts and viewpoints, and when someone says anything that goes against our religious beliefs, we lose sight of what is right and what is wrong. We’re like a herd of sheep following each other, baa baa baa baa.
Karnataka has denounced the latest controversy over Muslim girls wearing hijab. Students at the Karnataka government-run Pre-University College in Udupi who wear the hijab continue to be denied access to their courses. Because they were wearing hijabs, they were compelled to stand outside their classrooms. There are moments when I despise reading the news and can easily see how political parties are preying on kids.
My Views:
I used to go to my school’s assembly and sing songs about gods and goddesses, which was appropriate given that I was Hindu. However, it was clear to a Muslim student who attended that assembly that it was a powerful experience for him. His gods and melodies have nothing to do with it. The assembly should be updated in a neutral manner for all religious kids who do not feel obligated to sing certain religious songs. It would be the equivalent of Hindu students singing Nasheeds and feeling nothing.
Returning to uniforms, what exactly is wrong with Muslim girls wearing hijab? If you’re concerned about them cheating on exams, have a security woman conduct a thorough examination. I believe that every religion has its own faiths and beliefs and that as a democratic country, we must respect them. We must accept our differences. The #hijabban controversy is definitely a ruse to instil hatred and false information in the minds of children and teenagers. It’s a pointless topic that doesn’t require such attention.
Hindu students have been opposing the uniform because they believe they will be forced to wear hijab as well. Let me offer you an example: AR Rahman was born a Hindu, but he converted to Islam after being fascinated by the religion’s principles and beliefs. So, returning to my example, he has two daughters, Khatija and Rahima Rahman, who are free to be themselves. Despite being a celebrity’s daughter, Khatija Rahman is a devout Muslim who wears the headscarf anytime she appears in public. It is her decision, she claims since she feels proud and empowered when she wears the hijab and burqa.
So, at the end of the day, it’s all about personal preference. Some Muslim women and girls do not wear the burqa and hijab, while others do. All we have to do now is give everyone their space and allow them to be who they were meant to be.
This is not the first time political parties have come up with Hindu-Muslim conflict:
- Yogi Adityanath has blatantly inflamed communal tensions by naming two Hindu youngsters who were killed before the Muzaffarnagar riots erupted in full force during the 2018 elections.
- The RSS clan initiated various initiatives, including “love jihad” and “Ghar wapasi,” that were plainly intended to use coercion against Muslim and Christian minorities.
- The anti-Muslim campaign against the film Padmaavat has the full support of Hindutva parties.
- The campaign against the portrait of Jinnah at Aligarh Muslim University was also intended for Muslims since it is being ingrained in the minds of average Hindus that Muslims are devoted to Pakistan and its founder M. A. Jinnah.
Smear campaigns against political-ideological opponents like Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru are regularly launched on the internet and social media platforms, using false information and photo-shopped images to portray the latter as a descendant of a Muslim grandfather and the former as a well-wisher of Muslims and an enemy of Hindu interests. This was the charge levelled against Gandhi by Nathuram Godse in order to vindicate his death.
Law:
By any standard of legal action, preventing girls from attending college without warning or cause violates fundamental principles of the rule of law. “The prohibition of a headscarf or a garment covering the head is not a breach of Article 25 of the constitution,” according to high court decisions. In Puttaswamy, a nine-judge bench of the Supreme Court upheld the right to privacy as a fundamental right.
As of today, no official mandate or guideline prohibits Muslim female students from wearing the hijab while enjoying their right to education. It simply gives College Development Committees, or college boards of management, the authority to prescribe appropriate uniforms.
Despite the fact that the rule or ‘dress code’ no longer exists, Muslim women wearing hijab have been denied access to their classes. As a result, this violates the first requirement, namely, that there is a law in place to justify an infringement on privacy.
When political forces control College Development Committees, there is a greater risk that the power may be utilised to interfere with minority religious expressions for political advantage.
Nothing backs the government’s decision to limit the right to wear the hijab for the sake of ‘Unity, Equality, and Public Order.’
