[Reader-list] Fwd: In Valley, gunmen take to moral policing: ‘enforce hijab in college’

[Rakesh Iyer]

Dear Malik ji

I agree with your point, which is where I am not able to understand which
point to accept and which not to. According to what I believe in, freedom of
each and every individual must be accepted and it should not be restrained.
But then again, I, like all of the rest of us, studied in a school, where we
had to be in uniforms. The reason given was that the school uniform made it
difficult for people to discriminate amongst each other in the name of rich
and poor (basically wealth).

However, the school had an English and a Hindi medium section, and therefore
we all in a way understood who was rich and who was poor. Secondly, there
were also these notions of power, where we knew whose father and mother were
powerful and whose were not, thereby indicating to us again that 'kisse
panga nahi lena chahiye' and 'kisse le sakte hain' (whom we shouldn't pick
or have a fight with, and with whom we can do it). This also depended on
various other things, like who is the gunda/dada/local thug and all that.
And we do know mostly it's people who are powerful are also rich.

Therefore, even the uniform did not completely achieve its' purpose, and as
they say, only birds of a feather flock together, which meant that those
considering themselves of similar economic positions (as also other
attributes)actually became friends, by and large. So what the school tried
not to take place, did happen, albeit through different ways (and there can
be debate on whether this was discrimination on wealth basis or not). At
best, it ensured that discrimination didn't take place based on what people
would wear in public, and those who didn't discriminate outside school hours
never did so during inside school hours as well.

Hence, I really don't know where to draw the line. If the VHP is to be
accused (I believe rightly) of forcing girls to not wear burqa, and Islamic
organizations are to be blamed (again rightly I think) for forcing girls to
wear burqa, should not the parents of girls be also blamed for making their
girls wear burqa (without any logical reasoning or debate or discussion done
with those who would have to actually wear it), or not telling them ever to
wear burqa (and thus robbing them a chance of knowing their cultural
identity)?

Then again, would it be fine with us if girls were to come tomorrow in
bikinis to colleges? Or not? For a moment, I want to step aside the
assumption that women would never do so for fear of being molested and raped
in public places. Then tell me the answer. Then again, some may say that
educational institutions are the places of study, not the places to exhibit
cultural identities, and hence they must not be tolerated at any cost. Some
may have the view that cultural identities like burqa and sindur are fine as
long as they don't have an effect on the class as a whole getting what they
should: education. But then, what is the excuse of not allowing to wear a
bikini, but allowing low skirts or girls wearing tops with their navel skin
showing off?

What about men? Are they supposed to follow a code too? Or is it that just
because it's a patriarchic society they can do as they please? And what are
these restrictions? No kurta-pyjamas? Muslims are supposed to keep beards
while others are not? (again strange as Periyar, Modi, Golwalkar and others
had beards as well. What about that?). The skull cap of Muslims is banned in
institutes or not? (IIT's don't ban anyone from putting it, and this being
the month of Ramadan, I am seeing them somewhat more than normal). Then,
what about the rest?

Can anyone come and sit nude and study? Again another question to ponder.

What I would like is for all of us to think and constantly engage regarding
why one restriction must be abhorred while not the other, and why or why
not. Because this is an issue where views and consensus will evolve through
discussions, not finger pointing and accusing others. It's a critical issue,
and goes beyond religion and culture. It's the way a society is, which comes
out as we discuss it.

Regards

Rakesh