Aroosa Parvaiz, who topped the J&K Board’s class 12 exam this year, was mocked on social media after a photo of her without a hijab (headscarf) was circulated on social media.
The results were declared on February 8 and Aroosa was among the toppers scoring 499 marks out of 500. She was interviewed by media persons who published her photos.
As her photos surfaced on social media Aroosa was targeted for not wearing a Hijab and she even got death and rape threats.
In response to the trolls, Aroosa stated that she follows Islamic beliefs and that she does not need to wear a hijab to be a good Muslim.
“Wearing or not wearing Hijab doesn’t define one’s belief in their religion. Maybe, I love Allah more than they (trolls) do. I’m a Muslim by heart, not by a hijab,” quoted local media.
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Her family has also been shaken by the violent online abuse, she added. “These comments do not matter to me, but my parents are undergoing trauma”, she said.
With polarising views from politicians and professionals, the Karnataka hijab row has developed as a social faultline. The Karnataka high court, in an interim ruling, has directed students to not wear any religious attire (both hijab and saffron shawl) as long as the court is hearing the petition. The proponents of hijab rights argue that the right to wear it is granted by the Constitution, while opponents argue that religion should be kept out of schools, especially when they have uniforms.
