Zaira Wasim condemns Hijab controversy, says ‘to decide between education and hijab is an absolute injustice’

Zaira Wasim debuted in Bollywood at the age of 16 with Aamir Khan-starrer Dangal. She then went on to do Secret Superstar and The Sky is Pink before ultimately retiring from showbiz due to her acting career conflicting with her religious beliefs and faith. Nevertheless, the former actress still manages to make headlines, and this time it is her opinion on the Hijab row that has garnered eyeballs.

The state of Karnataka as well as the whole country has been rocked by the ongoing Hijab controversy ever since January 1, when six female Muslim students at Government PU College in Udupi claimed that their college authorities wouldn’t allow them to enter the premises wearing a hijab. This started a series of protests, which has since turned into a massive issue. The matter is currently being heard in the Karnataka High Court.

Giving her two bits on the controversy, Zaira weighed in through a lengthy Facebook post, strongly condemning the move to ban Hijabs from colleges. “The inherited notion of hijab being a choice is an ill informed one. It’s often either a construct of convenience or ignorance. Hijab isn’t a choice but an obligation in Islam. Likewise a woman who wears the hijab is fulfilling an obligation enjoined upon her by the God she loves and has submitted herself to. I, as a woman who wears the hijab, with gratitude and humility, resent and resist this entire system where women are being stopped and harassed for merely carrying out a religious commitment,” a part of her note reads.

Reiterating that women shouldn’t have to choose between religion and education, she went on to add, “Stacking this bias against muslim women and setting up systems where they should have to decide between education and hijab or to give up either is an absolute injustice.”

Furthermore, she also condemned the ‘facade’ of empowerment this move brings by completing her note. “You’re attempting to compel them to make a very specific choice that feeds your agenda and then criticising them while they’re imprisoned in what you’ve constructed. There is no other option to encourage them to choose differently. What is this if not a biaswith people who confirm it acting in support of it? On top of all this, building a facade that all this is being done in the name of empowerment is even worse when it is quite exactly the opposite of that. Sad,” her entire statement reads.