The backstory: When a mother-in-law came between my interview and me

When the hijab ban in Karnataka was first announced in 2021, shutting out young Muslim women from their own colleges, they did not find an ally in the media. Instead, students were hounded by local journalists and vilified on news television debates.

When I was trying to write on the impact of the hijab ban on Muslim students, most refused to talk. Even activists were hesitant to put me in touch with students as they were deeply suspicious of journalists.

So, when Ameena Azad agreed to speak with me for a story on the one-year anniversary of the ban, it was a big relief. Ameena had to drop out of her law course when the ban was imposed in her college in Mangalore.

Ameena lived with her in-laws in Karkala, a town in Udupi district, and her husband worked abroad. After her marriage, she had enrolled herself into an undergraduate college for a Bachelor’s degree.

But she wanted to do more: A deep interest in the Constitution drew her to pursue law.

When her son turned about four years old, she decided to join a law college in Mangalore and realise her dream. When the ban was imposed, she made several pleas to the college authorities...

Read more