The recent furor over a fashion show in Gulmarg has once again brought to the fore the disconcerting trend of moral policing by Islamic hardliners arguing that the time was not right for un-Islamic activity as it took place during the month of Ramzan. The outrage, which has prompted Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to direct an inquiry, has again reignited the debate about individual freedoms and the politicization of religious sentiments. The controversy raises basic questions like: why do some personal actions and cultural events become political and religious targets for outrage?
The Gulmarg Fashion Show Controversy
On March 7, a fashion show featuring ski-wear collections was held in Gulmarg as part of a prominent ski festival. While such events are common in tourist destinations, this particular show drew ire from the Islamic hardliners and Muslim leaders who have linked its timing with Ramzan.
Notorious for her controversial as well as provocative statements, former J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti termed the event “deeply troubling,” calling it an attack on cultural values. Kashmiri separatist leader and the so-called chief priest of Kashmir, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, described the event as “obscene” and against the Sufi traditions of the valley. In the midst of the outcry, Omar Abdullah called for a report on the event and promised “appropriate action” after hearing the report. The J&K Assembly too saw fiery debates, with the National Conference (NC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) members demanding severe action against the organizers.
“The fact that such an event, which descended into an indecent spectacle, took place during the sacred month of Ramzan is nothing short of shocking. It is deplorable that private hoteliers are allowed to promote such vulgarity through these events, which blatantly contradict our cultural values,” Mufti stated.
She further criticized the government for failing to prevent the event, asserting that dismissing it as a private affair would set a dangerous precedent.
Islamists hounded Mohammed Shami for prioritising National duty over Roza
This is not the first time that Islamic hardliners have resorted to moral policing during Ramzan. Recently, Indian cricketer Mohammed Shami was hounded by radical Maulanas after he prioritised national duty over Roza. Islamists like Muslim cleric Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Bareilvi even went on to label him a “criminal” for skipping the fast. Incidentally, the Islamists have been targeting Shami even more, targeting his kids and family.
The Apology
Shivan and Narresh, the fashion designers who hosted the outdoor fashion show in the favorite ski resort of Gulmarg in Jammu and Kashmir‘s Ramzan during the holy month of Ramzan, which drew a huge controversy, have expressed regret over organizing the event. The designers shared a post on X that made it very clear that they are deeply sorry for the hurt caused due to the staging of the event during Ramzan, and their only aim was to celebrate creativity.
The abhorrent appeasement of Muslim vote banks by Islamic hardliners
India, being a secular democracy, ensures Fundamental Rights such as freedom of expression and personal liberty. Yet again and again, political leaders and Islamic hardliners try to fuel communal tensions for political mileage. The fashion show in Gulmarg was not a government-conducted affair, but the Islamic leadership attempted to politicize it by portraying it as an onslaught against Islamic culture.
One glaring part of this furor is the hypocrisy of selective outrage. When Islamic leadership itself adopts practices that are considered Haram in Islam, then those things are deliberately overlooked. The hypocrisy is further obvious when Islamic hardliners do moral policing selectively only to pick on particular communities, events, or individuals.
Freedom to celebrate festivals, dress as per choice, or make personal decisions should not be in the hands of religious extremists. India’s Constitution guarantees these freedoms, and it is imperative that they are protected against efforts to enforce regressive visions of Islamic fundamentalists.
The protests by Islamic hardliners against the Gulmarg fashion show and the personal decisions of Mohammed Shami not to hold Roza are all part of a wider syndrome of intolerance in the name of protection of Islamic traditions by the Islamic orthodoxy. Politicians and religious extremists have to refrain from using religious sentiment for their own political agenda.