"Hijab is part of the identity of a Muslim girl," says Muskan Khan, The Hijabi Girl and a Lone Tigress
Muskan Khan, the brave Muslim girl who stood firm before a mob of Hindu far-right goons, is a student at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial College in India’s Karnataka.
Muskan‘s video of facing the Hindu mob at the college a day earlier had gone viral on media, receiving applauds from all for her courage.
Talking about the ordeal she had to face, Muskan said that she had gone to her college to submit her assignment.
In an interview with Indian media, she said, ”When I reached the college, a mob of [Hindu] extremists tried to stop me at the gate.”
They were not allowing me just because I was wearing the “burqa”, she said, adding that some of the boys in the mob were making obscene gestures towards her.
“I was not afraid,” she added.
The Hindu extremists were shouting “Jai Shri Ram”, she said, “so I started screaming Allah hu Akbar.”
Meanwhile, the college principal and lecturers reached there and protected me, she added. Muskan said that her principal never stopped them from wearing hijab. She said that majority of the mob were outsiders.
“Hijab is part of the identity of a Muslim girl”, she said, adding that they will continue their protest for the Hijab.
In recognition of her bravery and standing up to bullies, Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind has announced 0.5 million rupees for Muskan.
Hindu extremists have made life difficult for hijab-wearing students in India.