Mumbai: College student faces ‘joke’ on wearing hijab

Representative image. File Photo

While the Karnataka High Court concluded the hearing of a petition on the hijab ban issue and reserved its judgment, the case is impacting students from other states too.

Two weeks ago, Mumbra resident, Madina M, a 17-year-old junior college student from Menon College in Bhandup, had to face ‘jokes' about her wearing a hijab to college from one of her fellow classmates, as he asked her to leave because of her attire. Madina is one of the few students in her college to wear a hijab.

Madina says, "One of my classmates started making fun of me for wearing a hijab. He asked me whether I would be standing outside the classroom for wearing a hijab. After a point, I had to shut him down by explaining that what he is saying is not a joke and he should understand the seriousness of the issue."

While other Muslim students from her class, who don't wear a hijab, initially kept quiet, they too raised their voices as Madina took a stand for herself. She adds, "There are a few other Muslim girls in my college, but not everyone wears a hijab. It is a personal choice whether one wants to wear it or not. If I feel comfortable, nobody has a right to say whether I should wear it or not."

In another incident, Anjuman Shaikh, a Govandi resident, who stopped wearing a hijab in 2016, says the situation in her locality is different. According to the 30-year-old, a few families in Govandi do not allow their girl child to go outside without a hijab anymore.

"Since the Karnataka incident, there are a few girls in the five-seven age group who are not allowed to step out of their homes if they are not wearing a hijab. The families insist on doing so because it gives them an identity of belonging to the Muslim community," she says.

Speaking about her own experience, Shaikh says, "My family and relatives too had a problem initially. We can't just stop wearing a burqa or hijab. It is a process to make people understand, change their mindset, and take small steps, else people around will start opposing it, especially if one lives in an area where the majority belongs to the same community."

Activists say it is an unnecessary politico-religious matter

A few activists in the city say the issue has been politicised, and they don't support the matter, as it is taking an unnecessary politico-religious hue.

Durga Gudilu, a social activist from Jogeshwari, says, "I do not promote the wearing of hijab, but in the same way all other religious attire should be banned in educational institutions. Why are Hindu students and teachers not restricted from wearing religious attire or even turban, bangles, or mangalsutra to maintain institutional discipline? The law should be equal for all. A new angle has been created for political representation."

Supriya Jan, an activist from Coro India, which is an organisation working towards women empowerment, says, "Wearing a hijab is a matter of choice, but at the same time, the choices can be influenced by others. The ‘choice' of wearing religious garments based on religion is facilitated in young minds at an early age. It is an opportunity to discuss other types of veils among women and girls."

She adds, "We need to understand that the right to education should not be hampered at any cost. We all need to realise the politics behind this issue."

A Full Bench of the Karnataka High Court comprising Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi and Justices Krishna S Dixit and JM Khazi heard the arguments on the hijab row after petitions were filed by a few girls, seeking permission to wear the hijab to educational institutions. The girls were allegedly denied entry into a Pre-University College in Udupi in December 2021 for violating the dress code.