Video Producer: Maaz Hasan
Video Editor: Mohd. Irshad Alam
It is official now – wearing a hijab is banned in the schools and colleges of Karnataka where uniforms are prescribed by educational institutions.
Many women have been affected by this order by the Karnataka High Court, and I am one of them!
I am a third-semester, BA Psychology student at the SJMVS Arts and Commerce College for Women in Karnataka's Hubli.
On 22 March, my third-semester finals began. I knew I wouldn't be permitted in the college wearing a hijab. So I found a way to write the exam – I decided to wear a PPE kit.
A PPE kit isn't a hijab, but it fulfils my conditions of a hijab, and I can wear it as it doesn't violate any norm.
When I was about to start the exam, my teacher took me outside the examination hall. She said, "You can't wear the PPE kit." I asked her why I couldn't wear the PPE kit because it most definitely wasn't a hijab and I wasn't violating any norm.
Her argument with me went on for 40-45 minutes, and this was while the examination was going on; all that time was being wasted.
On that particular day, 22 March, I was allowed to write the exam, but I was strictly told that I would not be allowed to write the upcoming exams. And that's what happened. I went to the college on the exam days – 24 and 26 March – and I wasn't given permission to write them.
This wasn't the first time that this had happened to me in college. For the last couple of months, when the controversy over the hijab was brewing in Karnataka, I wasn't allowed to attend classes. I didn't get any help.
I was faced with the option of giving up my hijab so that I could attend classes and write my exams. But that's something I cannot do.
'Hijab Is an Essential Part of My Religion'
Because I stand so strongly for it, people often ask me, "Subata, why do you wear the hijab? Why do you wear it so proudly? Why do you practise hijab so strongly?"
I have two answers to your questions.
First things first, the hijab is an essential part of my religion, despite everyone around me telling me that it's not. It is and will always be an essential part of my religion. You will not tell me what is essential for my religion, I will tell you that.
Secondly, keeping the religion bit out of it, it is my choice, essential or not. Through my fundamental rights enshrined in the Indian Constitution, I have the right and freedom to follow my religion, to practise my religion. That includes practising my religion in schools, colleges, workplaces, movie theatres – everywhere.
A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court against the order passed by the Karnataka High Court.
I hope the Supreme Court takes my side. But worst-case scenario, what happens if I don't get permission? What if the law is against me?
I cannot remove my hijab. That is the one thing I will not do. Because I am a law-abiding citizen, I will have to stop my education. All the effort that I put into my education will go down the drain. My education, up until this point, will go to waste.
Supreme Court Lawyer on the Issue
The Quint spoke to Tanvi Dubey, a Supreme Court lawyer, on this matter. Tanvi says, "The High Court of Karnataka has observed that the hijab is not an essential religious practice. This order has wide-ranging ramifications and a wide-ranging impact not only limited to the women from the state of Karnataka."
"If we are saying that this is not an essential practice, then how are we going to handle the impact of such an order on possibly every other religious belief or possibly every other religion?"Tanvi Dubey, Lawyer
As for Subata Ahmad, Tanvi says, "Even now, when we are talking about a college-going girl denied entry into the examination hall, can you deny entry just because of the attire? This is the main question that needs to be assessed."
"Here, what we are talking about is a group of girls, as a substitute for hijab, are wearing PPE kits and entering the examination room, where this is not a rule for anyone else. This is not a real-time solution if you ask me. This can be a solution for a day, or a week, but not more than that."
"These questions now need to be elaborately discussed and argued. We are waiting for clarity from the apex court on all these issues," says Tanvi.
The Quint also reached out to the college but there has been no response. The copy would be updated as and when it responds.
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