Hijab row: Why can’t India follow ‘freedom to choose’ example set by AR Rahman?
Indian government has failed to give freedom to choose right to citizens despite having an example set AR Rahman for his daughters.
Amid ongoing hijab row in Karnataka state, the Indian government has seemingly failed to maintain its status of a secular state by seizing even freedom to choose right from the citizens despite following a brilliant example set by Padma Bhushan winner and music ace AR Rahman for his daughters.
Confrontations have been escalated between Muslim students and Hindu pupils after six Muslim female students had been stopped from attending classes at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial College in the coastal city of Udupi on December 28, 2021.
The grave fact of an alarming division in India got highlighted at full throttle after a Karnataka college student namely Muskan had chanted ‘AllahHuAkbar’ in front of an outrageous crowd of Hindu extremists in a viral video.
Khatija Rahman makes her debut with single “Farishton”
AR Rahman, Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan-holder, set a brilliant example of freedom to choose for his daughters, Rahima Rahman and Khatija Rahman, as the latter chose to cover her full body with niqab.
AR Rahman had come under criticism after his daughter Khatija wore a niqab at the 10 years celebration of Slumdog Millionaire. Rahman had responded to the trolls by tweeting a picture of his two daughters and wife with the caption ‘freedom to choose’.
The precious ladies of my family Khatija ,Raheema and Sairaa with NitaAmbaniji #freedomtochoose pic.twitter.com/H2DZePYOtA
— A.R.Rahman (@arrahman) February 6, 2019
Rahman’s daughter Khatija was invited to interview him on stage at the celebratory event. Khatija, who has sung for her father in Enthiran, came clad in a saree with her face covered in a niqab. This led to many calling out her ‘conservative’ dressing.
Later in February 2020, in an interview to The Quint, AR Rahman had opened up about the burqa controversy.
Stating that he doesn’t react to such comments, he elaborated, “I think what’s good is if we bring them up in a way that they (children) know our troubles, they know our problems. They know that they have to inherit the good and the bad from us. That’s it. And then, they are given free will and she did it and then I asked her, What about the next question? Did you answer that?’ (She said) that’s it daddy, I am done.”
When asked if she had discussed it with the family before putting out her reply, he had said, “No, I think she put it out and then I put it out on Instagram. I thought it was needed because she is behind the veil and it’s her choice.”
AR Rahman also added that Khatija finds her freedom in wearing a burqa. “More than the religious thing I think, I personally think it is a psychological thing. Because she sang a song (titled Ahimsa) and around 10 million people were having it as their ringtone. If you take a little kid who is an introvert and suddenly people are spamming them with good and bad, anybody would shut off,” he explained.
The composer had also stated that he would wear a burqa too if he’s given a chance to do so. “A male is not supposed to wear a burqa, otherwise I will wear one. It would be so easy to go and shop, find steady life. You know, I think, she finds her freedom. Because she is somebody who will go for a funeral of a maid’s mother or maid’s relative. And I get awestruck with her simplicity and what she does socially,” remarked Rahman.
Hijab controversy again
A Karnataka college student namely Muskan, who chanted ‘AllahHuAkbar’ in front of an outrageous crowd of Hindu extremists in a viral video, exposed the alarming division in India amid hijab row.
Muskan’s ‘AllahHuAkbar’ before Hindu extremists exposes alarming division in India
The video of a Karnataka student Muskan wearing hijab went viral after she was heckled by over 100 male students wearing saffron scarves at PES College, Bangalore located in Karnataka state’s Mandya district amid the ongoing hijab row controversy.
Muskan Khan wearing hijab becomes a symbol of resistance and being praised globally for challenging the Hindu extremists by solely standing up to the mindless mob outside her college.
While talking to NDTV, Muskan said that she was not worried about facing the bigots alone and she would keep keep fighting for her right to wear the hijab.
#NDTVExclusive | “Some men were outsiders, but 10 per cent were from college, but most were outsiders,” says Muskan, student in #Hijab who was heckled by students in saffron shawls in #Karnataka today.#KarnatakaHijabRow pic.twitter.com/DWff3u1MJh
— NDTV (@ndtv) February 8, 2022
Malala Yousafzai’s response
Pakistani activist for female education and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Malala Yousafzai said, “College is forcing us to choose between studies and the hijab.”
Malala Yousafzai said, “Refusing to let girls go to school in their hijabs is horrifying. Objectification of women persists — for wearing less or more. Indian leaders must stop the marginalisation of Muslim women.”
“College is forcing us to choose between studies and the hijab”.
Refusing to let girls go to school in their hijabs is horrifying. Objectification of women persists — for wearing less or more. Indian leaders must stop the marginalisation of Muslim women. https://t.co/UGfuLWAR8I
— Malala (@Malala) February 8, 2022
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had ordered the closure of all high schools and colleges for the next three days as the hijab row turned violent in some parts of the state.
It may be noted here that Karnataka high court is hearing a case against the ban on hijab filed on behalf of the Muslim students.
