By Sana Khan
Articles 25-28 of the Constitution of India professes the freedom of practicing and peacefully promoting one’s religion, there is no State religion and the State is required to treat all religions impartially and neutrally.
I grew up in a small Indian town where there was a lot of diversity, religious tolerance and communal harmony. This is not the India I knew and grew up in, where religious shouts such as “Jai Shree Ram” are hurled at a single Burqa-clad girl walking to her college, where such words are used to intimidate her into removing her hijab, where Ram is a symbol of patience, endurance and righteousness?
In the last few days, we have come to recognize 19-year-old Muskan Khan, from Karnataka, India, who showed no fear when she was freckled by a visibly violent right-wing anti-hijab mob. People across the world are standing in solidarity with her and applauding her courage, as seen by social media posts about her. She defies the stereotype of hijabi girls as being weak, oppressed and uneducated.
In an interview with a news channel, she said she has the right to education and to wear whatever she wants because of the country’s laws. “They’re keeping us from studying because of a piece of cloth, Sir,” she added, indicating her headscarf.
For a little while, the words hung in front of my eyes before piercing my heart. I noticed legitimate anger and immense strength on Muskan’s face; people now know her as the lioness that roared her way through the bullying group. This group was stopping girls from entering their colleges because a handful of individuals dislike the hijab. I couldn’t help, but think, How cruel is that and what does one call this: racism, discrimination, hatred, injustice, just plain bad luck or all the above? What is the definition of oppression when one accuses another of being forced to wear the hijab and then, forces them to remove it?
Women in India and around the world are denied their fundamental human right to dress modestly in accordance with their religion because they do not meet the country’s recent secularism requirements.
Isn’t it clear that the hijab was never the issue? It was always about a certain faith and your apprehension about it. This is called, “Islamophobia.” To all those who are “Islamophobic,” now that you’ve identified the core of your issue, address your personal fears in a more productive and peaceful manner rather than taunting random girls in hijab who only wish for an education, also their right as citizens of India.
About the Author
Sana Khan is a Motivational Speaker, Writer and Coach. Moreover, Khan has attained her engineering degree from Shobhit Institute of Engineering and Technology (now a Deemed University) and Dr. APJ Abdul Kamal University (former UPTU) in India. She has an MA in International Business from EAE Business School in Barcelona Spain and UPC Catalunya, Spain. Khan has recently written a motivational eBook entitled, “Dreamcatcher Framework.” She has also co-authored a spiritual anthology called, “Pause and Pen.” When she is not reading or writing, she prefers to nature-walk or sip coffee with her husband and son in Belgium.
Website: www.talkwithsana.com
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