t6There are millions of dresses and attires in the world, and there equally are millions of fashion designers who would crave even a local exposure let alone an audience around the globe. There are also no fewer educational institutes with their own dress codes and incidents of their violations. On the other hand, the incident wasn’t gruesome to question humanity that should make it go global - as if Boko Haram was at work. Far from all that, it was as innocent as a few Muslimas who had signed a document to dress according to the college’s rules with the principle in the past, suddenly decided to appear in the Islamic dress. If that and the boldness of the girls were not enough to say somebody was behind them, a calculated wildfire like all India spread possibly was. True to that fact, it is said that they found a link with the PFI. It didn't, however, limit itself to Karnataka or even India. With the social media and news channels always looking for juicy stuff like that it went global. Suddenly Nobel Laurets and sports stars in a distant land not only became aware of it, but they also condemned India itself. Unlike Nigeria 'under' Boka Haram, India would not be so lucky. There are, however, several issues here: The Veil Issue: The veil, as involved here was always regarded as a sign of oppression and against modernity. While Iranian Muslimas started it after the Islamic Revolution, Indian Muslims showed interest in the attire after the petroleum emerged from the desert of the Middle East and created jobs. Also, unlike Hinduism, which has stayed put as an ‘-ism’ in the dictionary and not yet as a Sanatana Dharma instead grossly afflicted by #Hinduphobia in the academia and by the status of 2nd class citizens in its ‘promised land’ that too while being ruled by none other than by the Hindus, Islam has taken amazing strides. Also, unlike the conquest of the lands till Spain earlier, this has been without the wielding of a sword. Following a descent to Mohammedanism during the Raj, almost like Islam's favorite word 'revert' it ascended back to Islam with the advent of the desert gold and its rush. And when the cocktail of migration, multiculturalism and voting power to each person merged, it almost became a kingmaker in the coalition politics of the West. With the black gold still producing green dollars, Islamic power simply caught the capitalist bull by its horns. Islam certainly hasn’t conquered the West again, but it has melted the big companies, institutions and academia and made sure rightly quoting the Quran but with wrong intensions was punishable offence as #Islamophobia. If there was anything called free speech, it did not mind whatever you did with the rest, it had to be uncritical of Islam. Even on the ground, things have changed. The Self Choice: Almost reminding man is what he thinks, perceptions have changed. Of course, niqab remained a niqab, but while wearing it was unacceptable and conservative earlier, parallel to the Islamic power said above - especially after the college incident it has become a matter of choice! While feminists, who normally cry wolf against men pressed the ‘silent mode’ button, the God not believing rich socialists saw cash in their own welfare, not of the society. The Oppressive Hindu Majority: It's not that the Hindus have remained silent in world affairs and not made any inroads, Of course, they have. Although they have not decided if the word Hindu is derogatory Arabic or a truly Hindu in origin, they have improved from 'Hindoo' to 'Hindu' too. They have even made Americans dance to the tune of Hare Rama Hare Krishna - that too in Indian dress and style! Although tracing Lord Macaulay’s way and not the above, some Hindus have topped several capitalist ‘conundrums’ in the West, and have received praises. And reminding us not all successes are perennially praised, those successes have even brought in the backlash against the Hindus. That too by the earlier migrants and now professors and in the land of immigrants and freedom - the US! It is back home, however, they are in trouble. NEXT

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Karnataka Hijab row

Karnataka state of India