Karnataka

Defiant in burqa, Muskan from Karnataka college inspires artwork

Muskan was heckled by a mob of men in saffron shawls but she refused to back down. The act has since been captured in several illustrations.

Written by : Sowmya Rajendran

The young woman in the burqa who stood up to a mob of men in saffron shawls has become a social media sensation. A video of Muskan, a student at the Mandya pre-University college, riding her scooter in a burqa and arriving at the college, only to be heckled by a mob has gone viral on the internet. The moment Muskan walks past the mob, they advance towards her, shouting ‘Jai Shree Ram’. Muskan, however, does not back down, and yells back ‘Allah-hu-Akbar’.

As the men continue to follow her and shout the slogan, a defiant Muskan refuses to cower before them. When a professor tries to intervene, she asks why she should give up her right to wear the hijab.

In her interviews to the media, Muskan said that she was not allowed into the college because of her attire, and that she was not worried after seeing the mob. She also said that she only recognised about 10% of the mob as students from the college, and that the rest seemed to be outsiders.

Muskan’s bravery in the face of a mob has inspired a range of artwork. Several images of her resistance have made it to social media and are being shared by people who support the constitutional rights of Muslim women to wear the hijab, irrespective of what their personal opinion on the garment might be.

Here are some of the images made in solidarity that depict Muskan’s resistance. 

Artist: Ponvannan

This image juxtaposes Aysha Renna, whose picture from the anti-CAA protests went viral, with Muskan. 

Artist: Ashish Bagchi

This image compares Muskan to a lioness who walks unbothered by the jackals in the jungle.

Artist: Kareem Graphy

This image captures Muskan with her raised fist, an act of resistance even as the saffron men surround her.

Artist: Hazara Aesthetic/hoor

The words in Urdu translate to ‘No matter what happens around me, I will put in my full efforts’.

Creator: Faraz FQ

This image shows the Avengers bowing before Muskan.

Credit: Nabi H Ali

This image of a girl in a hijab also acknowledges the solidarity expressed by Ambedkarites who shouted slogans in support of their right to wear the hijab to classes.

Credit: Jibraan

This image shows the context in which Muskan retorted with ‘Allah-hu-Akbar’.

Credit: PenPencilDraw

This image shows the irony in the saffron clad men wanting to 'save' Muskan from the oppression of the hijab while heckling her.

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