Globally, approximately 89% of the muslim women cover their head. In India, almost 64% of the Muslim women and 29% of the Sikh women wear some kind of headscarfs ( stats from times of India) . When such large number of Sikh women also chose to cover their heads then why only the Muslim women and girls are being targetted by the government and why is there such a large influx in the hatred crimes against muslims.
At the beginning of this year, BJP's government banned hijabs in schools for your muslims girls. This is when the issue got highlighted and the international recognition. Hundreds of young girls took out to street as they couldn't get their fundamental right of education. Looking at the reason for this ban we see that it is merely another cheap tactic of BJP's extremist and dirty politics. It is evident over the years that BJP has created and used anti-Pakistan and anti-Muslim slurs and sentiments to their benefits in elections. The hijab controversy itself was being amped up by the governing BJP and the wider Hindu right wing to legitimise and whitewash their anti-Muslim attitudes and rally their supporters behind an emotive cause during elections. Not only is this political but it is also unconstitutional. According to Article 25 of the Indian constitution,
“All persons are equally entitled to freedom and the right freely to profess, practice and propagate religion”.
CONCLUSION
The Indian nation really needs to wake up and stand against such an immoral government which does politics on religion and extremism. Hijab is a women's right and not something to make policies and politics on by the patriarchal society.
This view on hijab is one that is so widespread around the world. Even hijabi representation in media shows muslim hijabi girls as oppressed and forced to wear the hijab. This representation is extremely problematic and has negative consequence for muslims and their perception around the world. The hate is so deeply imbedded that hijabis become the victims of hate crimes around the world. Such as those in France
The world's anti-Islamic sentiments have labeled the hijab as an extremist form of expression-one that only propagates violence and turmoil. It is a shame that these views are upheld even after protests from those that wear the hijab and claim that it is only a form of self-expression and important to their personal identities. The world needs to take notice and accept that true freedom means not limiting those that do not seem to fit into you box of 'right'
You have mentioned some good points. However, this issue is not limited to India only and is a worldwide concern. The simple thing is, that everyone should be allowed to practice their religion and dress according to what their religion says, no matter which place they live in. But that is not the case, not only in India but also in countries like France. With that said, this issue is also not limited to Muslim women only, in Pakistan, there is hatred against Hindus as well where some groups just don't allow them to practice their religion freely. We also hear about forceful conversions every other day. In cases like this, it is the responsibility of states to deal wit…
Why is it the female hijab that's always attacked in such cases of hegemonic violence? Why do you think that the hijab alone has become a symbol for Islam in this as well as multiple other instances rather than anything else such as men with beards or even Islamic mosques? Why is it that no matter how far a country claims to progress, it's discrimination and sectarianism always falls back on to women?
Where I understand your take on this issue and completely condemn BJP's current actions against the Muslim communities and women perpetrating an anti-Pakistani rhetoric, my question here to you is that is the 'politics of hijab' really condensed within India or their motives to badmouth Pakistan or is it a world wide patriarchal issue where women's attire, life choices or lifestyle has often made a public debate in order to satisfy certain standards and obviously to benefit men in politics. On the other hand, what you shed light on massively and quite excellently is the increasing extremism in India, however, the case lies that isnt extremism in fact increasing in different forms in many parts of the world, including our…