The controversy over wearing hijab in Karnataka educational institutions is far from over even as the state government declared a three-day holiday for all educational institutions on Tuesday
A student takes pictures of placards, smeared due to rain, with a mobile phone as Muslim students protest against banning Muslim girls wearing hijab from attending classes at some schools in Karnataka, in New Delhi. AP
The controversy over wearing hijab in Karnataka educational institutions is far from over even as the state government declared a three-day holiday for all educational institutions on Tuesday.
At the centre of the violent protests across the state is the Muslim tradition of wearing hijab.
In the entire controversy several terms like hijab, niqab and burqa have been used interchangeably and almost always incorrectly. So let’s take a look at what are these clothes:
What’s a hijab
The Karnataka hijab row started from a government college in Udupi when six Muslim girls were prevented from attending classes. They were told to take off their hijab before entering the classroom.
The word hijab itself describes the act of covering up. It is a head scarf that covers the head and the neck but leaves the face uncovered.
On 1 February each year, World Hijab Day is observed in solidarity with Muslim women “who choose to wear the hijab and live a life of modesty”.
As per the World Hijab Day website, “The idea behind WHD is to invite non-Muslim women and Muslim women who don’t normally wear the hijab to “step in to the shoes of a hijabi for one day.”
The day particularly focuses on “fighting bigotry, discrimination, and prejudice against Muslim women”.
Meaning of niqab
Generally confused with a burqa, a niqab is another interpretation of a modest dress.
The way this veil is worn varies from region to region, but there are two main styles. The ‘full niqab’ is common in the Gulf states and covers the face and head entirely, with a place cut out for eyes. The ‘half niqab’ includes a veil that covers the lower half of the face up to the bridge of the nose, leaving the eyes and forehead clear. AFP
It is a veil that covers the head, neck and most of the face, except the eyes.
It is worn along with a headscarf, leaving only the eyes exposed. The clothing generally flows down to the middle of the back and comes down to the mid-chest in front.
Niqab is a common piece of clothing in Islamic countries including Pakistan, Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Syria.
Burqa explained
Unlike a niqab, a burqa covers the face entirely while leaving a mesh screen in front of the eyes.
The burqa has been worn by Pashtun women in Afghanistan and West Pakistan since pre-Islamic times, when it was considered a symbol of respect and stature in society. AFP
A burqa covers the entire body from head to toe.
In recent times several countries have partially or completely banned the burqa including Austria, France, Belgium, Denmark, and Bulgaria.
It has been banned in some or all educational institutes in Norway, Azerbaijan, Kosovo, and Egypt.
What is the row in Karnataka
The controversy in Karnataka erupted in December last year, when six Muslim girls at state-run Udupi Women’s Pre-University college were allegedly not allowed to enter the classroom wearing the hijab.
Also read: Hijab vs saffron scarves: More colleges in Karnataka deny entry to girls wearing hijab
Rudra Gowda, the principal of the college, who allegedly did not allow them to wear hijab in classrooms, said he had done so to ensure uniformity in classrooms.
Later, right-wing groups in Udupi and Chikmagalur objected to hijabs and the protests spread across the state. In retaliation, many students turned up in saffron scarves and Dalit students adopted blue scarves in support of hijab-wearing girls.
With inputs from agencies
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