Salwars, kurtis, sarees, skirts, jeans, burqas…oh wait! That doesn’t fit in here, does it? The wide varied attires women in India get to choose from–privileges of being an Indian citizen! A country, the constitution of which confers upon them liberty of thought, belief, faith and expression; its secularism that endows equal freedom and respect for all religions.

Why then, did we have to strike out a particular attire at the beginning of this article? What has made it necessary, and even a commonplace thing to do so? Did the Constitution come to a halt in front of the ‘masjid-goers’ and ‘samosa-makers’? Without further ado, let’s get to business here. The recent niqab-ban controversy spurred by a renowned Educational Organisation is still very much fresh in our minds, and I wish to address herein the same issue, which is also seen to be reciprocated at various other levels and institutes in our society.

If letting a man or any person for that matter, dictate what you are to wear and not to wear isn’t basic human rights negligence, I don’t know what is. Niqab isn’t just a piece of clothing. It’s a chosen lifestyle. A choice from an individual’s beliefs and ideology. As a hijabi myself (Islamic way of clothing without the face veil), I could have turned a deaf ear to the issue at hand. It doesn’t meddle with my affairs, right? But how far really am I, from being deprived of my rights too? Such concerns shouldn’t even see the light of day in a democratic, secular nation like India, the keynote of which is pluralism.

With the authority vested in you, your argument that institutes reserve the right to decide their dress code maybe sound. But when that cripples the lives of your students, we call it, in the mildest of languages-betrayal. Betrayal to the ones who looked up to you for your principles and are now being asked to compromise between their beliefs and education.

If you want to talk about security issues, we have more than enough ways to tackle them. After all, niqab isn’t an Indian attire, but a global one, a Muslim one. If my freedom of clothing is a threat to your security, it’s you and your institutes that need redemption. If you see what I wear as a hurdle to my academic progress, it’s your intellect as educators that needs check.

LIVE AND LET LIVE.
EAT AND LET EAT.
WEAR AND LET WEAR.

Thasleema

MA English student at Calicut University