Hijab row is now snowballing into a major controversy amidst schools and colleges in Karnataka barring Muslim girls donning headscarves or face veils from entering classrooms. It all started beforehand when one of the colleges in Karnataka stirred controversy by deciding not to allow students wearing headscarves or veil inside the college premises as well as barred them from attending classes. The resentment in the aftermath of the event turned into a hot button issue inviting debate across various sections. Now, the controversy has turned into a full fledged imbroglio after many other institutions including schools and colleges decided to follow on the footsteps of the college, which initially took the decision of such kind and imposed Hijab ban inside the campus. Evidently, the crossfire has alarmed the state’s Muslim students, who claim that ‘their religious freedom is being snatched’. Hundreds of youngsters, including their parents, marched to the streets on Monday to protest the restrictions, demanding that hijab-wearing students be permitted to attend lessons. India is a diverse country which finds its strength in its incredible emblem of unity in diversity. The constitution guarantees us the right to freely practice and propagate religion freely. Yes, the freedom is not absolute in nature as it is subject to certain clauses and restrictions. The national integrity must not be done away with at any cost however the question remains whether Hijab begets violence or is, in any indirect way a violation of constitution. An additional question which also pops up in this discourse is the legal status of Hijab in Islam. The answer to the latter is quite simple and straight though as Hijab forms an essential part of a Muslim female – a ruling which finds all of the scholars on the same page in the light of a direct witness from the Holy Quran. Many courts of the world have also come up with the same decision that Hijab is an essential part of the Islamic faith. The first question, once again has now been brought to the court which is expected to give a verdict on the existing controversy. For now, the Muslim students’ wait continues, as the Verdict is in the pipeline. Hope, the controversy is brought to a stop, once and forever.
EDITORIAL: Simmering Imbroglio
