Muskan Khan cheers govt’s decision on hijab

Mysuru: Muskan Khan, popularly known across the country as the “Hijab Girl” during the 2022 hijab controversy, has welcomed the Karnataka govt’s decision to allow students to wear the hijab in classrooms and examination halls. Thanking chief minister Siddaramaiah, she described the move as a long-awaited relief for thousands of students across the state.

Muskan drew national attention on Feb 8, 2022, after she responded with chants of “Allahu Akbar” while confronting a group raising “Jai Shri Ram” slogans during protests linked to the hijab issue. The incident became one of the defining moments of the controversy, which spread across Karnataka, particularly in districts such as Udupi and Dakshina Kannada.

In a video statement released on social media on Thursday evening, Muskan said she was extremely happy that the govt had finally taken a positive step after four years. Recalling the difficult period during the ban, she said several students boycotted examinations and educational activities as protests intensified across the state.

Muskan said the latest decision has restored students’ rights and encouraged girls to confidently continue their education while wearing the hijab. She stressed that politics should remain within the political sphere and should not interfere with the education and future of students. She also thanked ministers Madhu Bangarappa and BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan and speaker UT Khader for supporting the decision. She said the govt’s move restored an important opportunity for students.

Mohammed Hussain Khan, Muskan’s father told TOI, the govt may have taken time, but ultimately arrived at a positive decision. He claimed that after the hijab ban, more than 18,000 students across Karnataka stopped attending schools and colleges. With the latest decision, he said, many girls would now feel relieved and continue their education without fear or hesitation. He recalled that Muskan discontinued her second-semester BCom examinations following the 2022 incident, though she later managed to continue and complete her degree. She is now aspiring to pursue an LLB course. “There should be no politics in education,” he said.

The family, originally from Mandya and now residing in Mysuru, said the incident significantly changed Muskan’s life. During her free time after the controversy, she began studying the Indian Constitution and developed a deeper interest in legal studies. While her elder brother has completed his degree, her younger sister is currently pursuing final-year engineering in computer science.