Muslim girls in Karnataka are suddenly engulfed by an undying love for the medieval practice of wearing a hijab and protecting themselves from predatory men who they think are always on the lookout to violate their dignity. The hijab – which until a year ago was nearly invisible in schools and colleges of Karnataka’s Udupi, has today become a symbol of Islamic identity for Muslim girls. Unfortunately, this symbol – which seeks to remind a Muslim woman that she must always act and behave modestly, is today being hailed as a tool of empowerment.
The logic is flawed, but in the blind fascination of the Arabic dress code for women, Islamists across India are up in arms against those who seek to liberate Muslim women. The hijab row in Karnataka has not only made national headlines but has also caught the attention of liberals and Islamists around the world. Suddenly, as India attempts to come at par with the many Islamic nations that have banned the hijab, it is being called an anti-Muslim state. In the process, crimes against innocent Hindus are being whitewashed.
Lavanya’s Suicide – Forgotten So Soon?
Tamil Nadu is among India’s forceful conversion hotspots. The extremism of Christian missionaries was put on display recently, when a 17-year-old girl named Lavanya, committed suicide in Tamil Nadu’s Thanjavur after being forced to convert to Christianity. Lavanya was forced to kill herself due to being constantly pressurized to change her religion from Hinduism to Christianity. She was a student of Sacred Heart Higher Secondary School, Thirukattupali in Thanjavur. Sacred Heart is a government-aided Christian school.
Lavanya was being coerced with indirect measures to convert. The coercion came in the form of punishment. At the time when other children had gone for Pongal holidays, Lavanya was forced to clean toilets, wash dishes and do other chores. The little kid could not bear the pain and drank poison, which resulted in her death.
In her dying declaration, Lavanya had said, “They (school) had asked my parents in my presence if they can convert me to Christianity and help her for further studies. Since I didn’t accept, they kept scolding me.”
The suicide of Lavanya outraged a significant population of India, which is not a fan of forced conversions. Just as momentum was building against the forced conversions of Christian missionaries, the hijab row in Karnataka sprang to the limelight, thereby overshadowing the campaign to get justice delivered for Lavanya.
Kishan Bharwad’s Murder by Islamists no longer Top Focus
Dhandhuka Taluka in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad district recently witnessed a gruesome murder of an innocent, cow-loving Hindu. Kishan Bharwad was murdered on January 25 after he allegedly uploaded a post on social media ‘against’ Muslims. Kishan had shared a post that showed Jesus as ‘Son of God’, Prophet Muhammad as ‘Prophet of God’ and Shree Krishna as ‘The God’. This outraged a sea of Islamists, who, inspired by radical Maulanas – killed Kishan Bharwad.
Maulana Qamar Gani Usmani was arrested from Delhi by the Gujarat ATS on January 30 in connection with the sensational murder of the 27-year-old. The Rajkot Special Operations Group (SOG) arrested Azim Bashir, who is accused of supplying a pistol and cartridges to Usmani. Earlier this month, Gujarat ATS arrested Maulana Ayubon for suspicion of acts of terrorism. The ATS has added a Section of the Gujarat Control of Terrorism and Organised Crime Act 3(1)(1) and 3(2) Unlawful Activities Prevention Act against the accused.
Read more: Is Hijab liberating? An Anthropological and Genealogical take
Again, the hijab row in Karnataka has managed to reduce the murder of Kishan Bharwad by Islamists into a non-issue. The whole world now wants to protect the right of Muslim women to wear a hijab. Nobody is interested in ensuring justice for Hindu victims, who are killed by Islamists daily.
Rupesh Pandey – Killed on Saraswati Puja for being a Hindu
Rupesh Pandey was murdered by a mob of Islamists in Jharkhand’s Hazaribagh on 6th February for being a part of a procession on its way to a ghat for the immersion of Ma Saraswati’s idol. The procession came under attack by Islamists because it dared pass through their ghetto. Rupesh – who was 17 years old, was killed by Mohammad Aslam, Mohammad Anis, Mohammad Kaif, Mohammad Gufran, Mohammad Chand, Mohammad Osama, Mohammad Ehtam, Mohammad Nahid and hundreds of other Islamists.
The mob lynching of Rupesh Pandey by Islamists should have made international headlines as well. But all of a sudden, the “right” of a Muslim woman to wear a symbol of subjugation has become the most important issue for everyone, especially liberals. Innocent Hindu victims of Islamist crimes be damned, what is most important in India right now is the right of Muslim women to wear the hijab. Justice must be done. Those guilty of murdering Hindus need to be brought to task. The pot has been boiling for a very long time, and a spill-over needs to be prevented at all costs.