A video clip of Supreme Court lawyer Subuhi Khan is making rounds on social media in which she talked about the hijab controversy and exposed the double character of Islamists instigating Muslim girls to wear hijab in educational institutions. Khan was talking to a reporter of Shining India News, and the video was released on February 12. In her interview, Khan said Karnataka Education Act has been in place since 1983, and it talks about uniformity in dress code in educational institutions.

She said no one had a problem for decades, but suddenly some Muslim girls wanted to wear hijab in college. She said, “There is no doubt that Article 25 of the Constitution gives us right to practice the religion of our choice, but no right is absolute. Those who claim it is their right to choose the attire as per their religion, then why do the same people force non-Muslim children in Aligarh Muslim University and Jamia Millia Islamia to wear sherwani and salwar kameez? Why such double standard?”

She added everyone has the right to choose what they want to wear in their private life. It is applicable to Muslim women as well. However, not all Muslim women wear hijab. “Why people who talk about Muslim women’s right to choose their attire start abusing those Muslim women who do not wear hijab,” she questioned.

Subuhi Khan said recently someone called her and threatened of consequences because she talked on hijab matter. She said, “I got a threat call from Abu Dhabi. The person at the other end had a problem with my views on the hijab controversy. He also had a problem with my lipstick and open hair.” She added those women who do not wear hijab are often called kafir, and people raise questions about their character.

‘It is the first step towards Islamic State’

Khan further added Muslim women should wake up and realize these controversies are the first step towards Islamic State. She said, “Those who want you to sit in burqa will have a problem with your education tomorrow. Look at what is happening in Syria and Pakistan.”

Youth is being pushed towards separatism. They are told only they are right. When they become separatists, some of them are selected to turn into extremists. They are told only they are right, and it is their responsibility to force others to walk on their path. When they become extremists, they are pushed to become terrorists. They indulge in conversions. They think if they convert someone to Islam, they will get paradise. I am telling you terrorism does not come from Quran but from separatism,” she added.

She said today they are asking for permission to wear hijab tomorrow, they will ask for separate classes for girls and boys. Then they would ask for a holiday on Friday instead of Sunday. “We are not against hijab, Quran or Islam. We are against separatism.”

Talking about the halal economy, she said, “You must have heard of halal economy. There was a time when only meat was halal or haram. Nowadays, flour, rice, hair products and more are halal certified. It is not limited to product certification only. If a company is halal-certified, it cannot give employment to a person from another religion to manufacture the product. They have to hire Muslims only. They are running a parallel economy. We don’t know where the money is going. Maybe it is funding terrorist organizations.”

‘When there is conflict, the law of the land prevails’

Quoting court judgments, Khan said, “When the rights of two communities collide in democracy, the law of the land prevails. Religion is not above the law of the land. India is not an Islamic state. India is a democratic country and functions as per the democratic constitution. Article 51A of the constitution talks about the duties. It is the responsibility of every citizen of India to come forward and raise voice against separatism.”

‘Mangalsutra does not hide your identity’

When asked about the comparison that has been happening between mangalsutra and hijab, she laughed and said there is no comparison. She said, “If they talked about covering the head, it was still understandable as Sikhs cover their head too. However, they are talking about hijab but pushing niqab. Also, Mangalsutra does not hide your identity, niqab does. Muslims should think if someone wearing a face cover rings their doorbell, would they allow that person, man or woman, to enter their home? They would not. If they are so concerned about their homes, why they are not concerned about the country?”

“There are so many cases where burqa-clad people commit crimes. There are so many police reports and media reports where a burqa-clad person committed a crime and could not be caught. It is a matter of national security. How can they push for niqab?” she questioned.

‘Quran does not talk about burqa’

She said there was no mention of the burqa in the Quran. She said, “It only talks about covering the private parts, but the fundamentalists force Muslim women to wear a burqa.”

She further said Muslim women in Uttar Pradesh are happy with the Yogi government, and they want to vote him back to power. However, the opposition parties are fanning such controversies to instigate Muslim women so that they can come back to power. She urged the Muslim women to compare the previous governments and think under whose government they feel safe and then vote accordingly.