In a bold act of defiance, writer and activist VP Zuhara publicly removed her headscarf on a stage in Kozhikode, Kerala, on Sunday, October 8, 2023, while she protested against a sexist and misogynist remark made by Samastha Kerala Jamyathul Ulama leader Mukkam Umar Faizi, who had said that women who did not wear hijab were of questionable character and not real Muslims.
Zuhara was speaking at the inaugural session of the Kudumbashree’s “Thirike Schoolil” (Back to school) campaign at Nallalam Government High School in the city. The campaign aims to empower women and girls through education and skill development. Zuhara, who is the founder of Muslim women’s movement ‘Nisa’, criticized Faizi’s comment and said that wearing a headscarf or not was a woman’s choice and did not affect her identity or morality.
“I grew up wearing a headscarf. It is part of my habit and not because I am a Muslim,” she told reporters after the incident. “Wearing a hijab or not, or wearing a particular dress, all fall under an individual’s personal choice. We are no one to protest against or comment on it. Even if I remove my hijab, I will remain Zuhara. My ideologies and perception towards society will remain the same.”
As she spoke against Faizi, she also removed the “pallu” of her saree from her head, in a symbolic gesture of rejecting his patriarchal and oppressive views. However, her action was met with hostility and abuse from some members of the audience, including some office-bearers of the parent-teacher association (PTA) of the school. Shahul Hameed, the PTA president, allegedly rushed to the hall and started hurling abuses at her. He accused her of misusing the platform for her personal agenda and asked her to leave the venue.
Zuhara later approached the police and filed a complaint against Hameed for verbally abusing her. The Nallalam Police said they had received a complaint and were conducting a preliminary investigation.
Faizi had made his controversial remark in response to senior Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader K Anil Kumar’s statement regarding the traditional headscarf worn by Muslim women in Kerala. Kumar had said that he respected the headscarf as a cultural symbol and not as a religious one. Faizi had said that women who did not wear a hijab were promiscuous and that Muslim women would not be allowed to be promiscuous. He had also said that the hijab was Islamic and if anyone reacted against it, he would oppose it.
Zuhara’s protest has sparked a debate on social media, with many people supporting her courage and conviction, while others condemning her for disrespecting Islam and its teachings. Some have also questioned the relevance of raising such an issue at a Kudumbashree event, which is meant to focus on women’s empowerment and education.
Zuhara has been vocal about women’s rights and issues in Kerala for many years. She has written several books and articles on topics such as gender equality, domestic violence, triple talaq, child marriage, and female genital mutilation. She has also been involved in various campaigns and movements to raise awareness and demand justice for women who have faced discrimination and violence in the name of religion and culture.
