In response to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's announcement to lift the ban on the hijab in classrooms, Muskan, a student from Mandya district, expressed her gratitude and stressed the importance of the hijab as a cultural and religious right. Muskan, who had defended wearing hijab in educational institutions and chanted slogans of ‘Allahu Akbar’ while being heckled by a group of men wearing saffron shawls in February 2022, spoke to the media on Saturday.
After the Karnataka government banned hijab in schools and colleges, in 2022, Muskan discontinued her education.a Muskan, originally set to participate in the third semester in April 2022, will now need to take up the same semester to pursue her ongoing education. She expressed confidence that the Supreme Court would also issue a favorable ruling for Muslim students.
"Hijab is our culture. It is our right. I believe that we will get the right. There should be no politics in education," Muskan asserted. She extended her thanks to CM Siddaramaiah, Minister Zameer Ahmad Khan, Speaker UT Khader, and Deputy Chief Minister DKShivakumar for restoring their rights and supporting their cultural practices. “I thank them for giving back our rights. They have supported our culture. We used to study at the college like brothers and sisters. It should always be like that," she said.
Read: Defiant in burqa, Muskan from Karnataka college inspires artwork
Highlighting the impact of the hijab ban, Muskan said, "Hijab is our religion, and we need to follow it. Because of the ban on hijab, many girls were forced to remain at their homes. I did not go to college for a year. Now, I am going to PES College. The others should also come out and take exams," she urged.
A video of Muskan riding her scooter in a burqa and arriving at the college, only to be heckled by a mob had gone viral on the internet. The moment Muskan walks past the mob, they advance towards her, shouting ‘Jai Shree Ram’. Muskan, however, does not back down, and yells back ‘Allah-hu-Akbar’. Al-Qaeda chief Ayman Al Zawahiri, had praised Muskan after she stood up to those heckling her for wearing a burqa amid the hijab row protests. "May Allah reward her for exposing the reality of Hindu India and the deception of its pagan democracy," the Al-Qaeda chief said in the video. Muskan’s father had condemned the video, calling it an “attempt at creating division”.
On Saturday, December 23, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that he has asked for lifting the ban on hijab for students and pre-university college students in the state, as clothing is a matter of individual choice. He criticised Prime Minister Modi's 'sab ka saath sab ka vikas' as deceptive, accusing the BJP of promoting division based on clothing, attire, and caste. Siddaramaiah emphasized that everyone should be able to wear the hijab and attend schools and colleges. He confirmed that he has called for the reversal of the government's decision to ban the hijab in this context.
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