Lucknow Nashat Hayatullah (29), a city woman who pursued Masters in social work at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai has worn hijab throughout her educational or working years. According to her, hijab is not only a piece of cloth for giving an identity but also something which makes one feel at ease while going out.
There are hundreds of Muslims girl and women who grew up sporting hijab since their childhood days. Needless to state, the recent Karnataka hijab controversy has left them livid because they see a deliberate attempt to tinker with the country’s social fabric for polarization in the five poll-bound states.
“In a progressive society like ours, where we are talking about women conquering various fields, it is surprising that the basic rights of individuals like clothing are questioned. Asking a person to remove hijab is an infringement upon the right of an individual. India is a very diverse country with numerous cultures and practices, therefore rather than berate someone’s culture we should support each other,” said Nashat who also went to Lucknow’s Loreto Convent for her schooling and Isabella Thoburn College for graduation.
Sana Mishkaat, a teacher, said she had been wearing hijab since she was in class 9 .The teacher as well as the students respected that. “Once in BEd examination, the external examiner told me to remove my hijab. The head of the department told the examiner that he had been seeing me wearing hijab from day one and he allowed it,” she recalled.
{{/usCountry}}Sana Mishkaat, a teacher, said she had been wearing hijab since she was in class 9 .The teacher as well as the students respected that. “Once in BEd examination, the external examiner told me to remove my hijab. The head of the department told the examiner that he had been seeing me wearing hijab from day one and he allowed it,” she recalled.
{{/usCountry}}She said, “Hijab is our right. It is for us to choose what to wear. Leaving aside the religious prospective, it has many benefits as well. It follows the dress code for corona protection plus protection from pollution. The ghoonghat ( veil) and hijab is imbibed in the Indian cultural ethos.”
Muslim women said wearing a hijab or dupatta was a right guaranteed by the Constitution of India and the practice had been culturally and traditionally followed in the country for centuries.
Anam Haseeb, 27 who organized World Hijab Day in Lucknow for three years on February 1, said, “We (a team of young people from different religions) introduced Lucknow to World Hijab Day in 2018. Since then, thrice (till 2020), we had 75% of people from other cultures and religions supporting and celebrating the day because they were well informed about hijab as a choice and not an oppression.”
“With these protests against hijab, we can only see India stepping 30 years back from now, to the time our forefathers fought to bring an end to it. We have lost a lot. In school and college we always lived in harmony with friends and mates. Never thought we will see such an era of attitude and illiteracy. We need healthy minds and not filthy protest,” she said.
“I believe that suddenly raising a hue and cry about it is unnecessary. Indians are a very supporting secular community. In the viral video of the single Muslim girl standing against a group of boys, it was a Hindu professor who intervened when the crowd tried to get close to the girl. Thus where all the communities have supported each other, creating an issue to drive a wedge is not right,” said Begum Shehnaz Sidrat, president-Bazm-e-Khwateen.