Muslim women burn hijab in north Kerala in solidarity with Iran protestors

Twenty-two-year-old Mahsa Amini was arrested by Iran’s morality police on charges of not wearing the hijab properly, and later died under suspicious circumstances on September 16

A group of Muslim women belonging to the Kerala Uktivadi Sangham on Sunday burnt hijab in north Kerala’s Kozhikode in solidarity with the ongoing protest against Islamic religious attire in Iran.

Muslim women burning hijab in Kerala on Sunday. (Twitter Photo)

“We held a day-long seminar on Sunday and paid rich tributes to Mahsa Amini, who was tortured to death by the morality police in Tehran two months back. We later burnt hijab in a symbolic protest,” said one of the organisers of the event M Fausia, a retired teacher.

She said more than 50 women attended the seminar and had a healthy discussion on the matter. “In a modern world, there is no place for such rigid practices. Nobody can force women to wear hijab. Orthodoxy and superstition are on the rise in the society,” she said, adding that the group will organise a similar event in Malappuram next month.

This is the first time such an incident has been reported from Kerala, community watchers said.

“We have to oppose such customs in all religions. It is sad that despite progress in education and social sectors, incidents such as ritualistic human sacrifices take place in the state. We need free thought and atheism to come out of such rigors,” said atheist leader EA Jabbar.

Kerala recently reported two alleged “ritualistic human sacrifices” in Pathanamthitta district last month and the police have arrested three persons in connection with the crime.

Twenty-two-year-old Amini was arrested by Iran’s morality police on charges of not wearing the hijab properly, and later died under suspicious circumstances on September 16. Though the Iran government said she died of heart attack, people took to the streets in protest alleging she was tortured to death. The incident sparked a series of protests and riots, claiming several lives in the country.