"I said Allahu Akbar because I was very scared. And when I am scared, I take the name of Allah."
These are the words of Muskan Khan, a student of B.Com's second year in a degree college in Mandya district of Karnataka.
In the last two days, a video of Muskaan has gone viral in which she wears a hijab, parked her scooty, and walks towards the class and a crowd follows her.
Wearing saffron rugs and shouting slogans, people move towards the student, shouting 'Jai Shri Ram, after which she also turns towards the crowd in response and raises her left hand and starts shouting 'Allahu Akbar'.
The BBC has tried to understand the circumstances behind this video by talking with this student.
What happened to you that day?
I didn't know anything, I always go to college. That's how it went. People who came from outside stood in such a group and said that you will not go inside the college with a burqa. If you want to go to college, then you have to remove the burqa and hijab and go inside. If you want to stay in a burqa then you go back home.
I came inside. I thought I would go quietly. But so many slogans were being raised there. Slogans like 'Burka Kaad' and 'Jai Shri Ram' were being raised.
I thought I would go to class but all those boys were following me as if they were all trying to attack me. Those were 40 people. I was alone There is no humanity in them. Suddenly he came to me and started shouting. Some were holding orange scarves.
And came in front of my mouth and started wielding like this and was saying - Jai Shri Ram, go away, remove the burqa.
How long have you been wearing the hijab?
I have been wearing a hijab since the first time I went to pre-university. There was no problem in college. Everything was as before. We were going to class wearing hijabs. We do not wear a burqa. Just wear hijab. He hides his hair and goes inside to class. But these people were not even allowing me to enter the campus. Those were many outsiders. There were few college students. But most were outsiders.
What were those people saying?
They were saying that remove the burqa or else you cannot go to college. They were all scaring me. Four girls came before me. In his case, the gate itself was locked. Then somehow the principal came. The principal and teachers protected me.
The boys went by speaking to them, they stopped and went inside. Then repeated the same with me. I didn't cry. I raised my voice against him.
what did you say...?
I said, Allahu Akbar. Because I was scared. When I am afraid, I take the name of Allah. When I take the name of Allah, I feel courage. that it.
What is your opinion about wearing a hijab?
In college, our principal himself said that you can come wearing a hijab. These outside elements are coming and making such a spectacle. The principal himself said that come as you used to come earlier. There is no problem.
These people are coming and doing this kind of work.
Who do you think should wear a hijab or not?
Yes, I should wear it.
What would be your opinion if there was an objection to this?
I have faith in the constitution of India. Will not go against it like this. Inshallah, we are waiting for the orders of the High Court.
The hijab vs saffron shawl debate that is going on at the moment is okay, will it affect your relationships with other students?
It is my humble request that I am not spreading any casteism here whether Hindu or Muslim. I am standing only for my education, my rights because we are not allowing us to grow in education. We are not letting ourselves in because we are living wearing hijab.
We have been wearing this for years. He is not wearing anything new. These people are just putting up and saying in such a way that if you come wearing this, then we will come wearing this.
In my college, boys are telling the principal that if she comes wearing a burqa, then we will not remove it either. (Saffron Gamcha-Pata etc.). And if they come like this, then we will also come like this.
We don't have any problem. They come like this or come like this. We just need permission to wear the hijab. Anyhow, they come We don't care. We just need education. Our principal is with us, teachers are with us. These are just outside elements coming and making a spectacle.
And we have faith in the Constitution. Nothing negative will come from the High Court.
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