Kashmiri Muslim Women Complain of Routine Patriarchal Behaviours
By Javaid Beigh
September
25, 2020
Recently, I came across a news photo feature in one of the leading Kashmir based social media news portals that showed an assortment of pictures of young teenage Kashmiri Muslim girls practicing cricket in one of the sports stadiums of Srinagar; fully covered in pants and tracksuits along with all Covid-19 protections of wearing masks. One would think that Kashmiri society at large would encourage such sporting and immunity boosting activities among our young female population, and yet, shockingly, most of the comments from young Kashmiri Muslim men and boys were extremely patronizing. Calling these girls “shameless”, and “shameless girls of shameless parents” who are not only shaming the name of their family and Kashmiri society but also of entire Muslim community by participating in such “shameless” events.
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The
question that pops up from this kind of rogue mob behaviour is that aren’t we
acting as hypocrites. We as a society know it all very well, but hide and
suppress for variety of social and political reasons. This has not only emboldened anti-social,
undisciplined and rogue elements of our Kashmiri society but it has stopped us
from dealing with the problems head on.
It is very
important to understand that politics and religion play an important role in
our collective denial of the evils of patriarchy that has made life of Kashmiri
Muslim women difficult. In our efforts to further the narrative of painting our
“enemy” as bad, we as a Kashmiri Muslim society have defined image of our
“enemy” or “other” as characterless, immoral and unethical entity. Someone
outside out fold.
There are
of course complicated political reasons for weaving such narrative and then
believing collectively in it as it portrays us Kashmiris as pure, pious and
virtuous, and our “enemy” as immoral, decadent and impure. It might help to
sooth our collective political grievances but does it really help our Kashmiri
Muslim women and their daily lives?
Talk to
most young Kashmiri Muslim women, whether studying in colleges in Srinagar and
other cities or living in small towns and villages, the tales of harassment
abound. Our Kashmiri Muslim women folk complaint of routine inappropriate
behaviours, which they have now accepted as a part of life.
The
important point that we as a Kashmiri society tend to ignore is that in modern
times, any community is judged by how it treats its own vulnerable groups like
religious minorities, women, tribal groups, marginalised castes etc. On nearly
all these fronts, we as a Kashmiri society fail. The controversy surrounding a
young and extremely talented Kashmiri Muslim actress, who won many accolades
and world fame by acting in Hindi movies, is illustrating in this regard. Prior
to that, few years ago a music band of young Kashmiri Muslim girl was also
publicly criticized for indulging in “shameless” and “un-Islamic” behaviour,
forcing them to withdraw.
In all of
these anti-women societal behaviours, Kashmiri society has dragged the name of
religion, while not explaining as to how come such artistic and sports
endeavours for Muslim women are part of the national mainstream of all Muslim
majority countries including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Islamic Republic of Iran,
Pakistan, Bangladesh, Central Asian Muslim nations, Indonesia, Egypt and even
Afghanistan.
Countries
like Iran, Turkey, Pakistan, Indonesia and Egypt have a thriving film industry
with a long history of Muslim actresses. The Muslim women citizens in all these
countries are part of their respective national sports teams and even compete
internationally including in Olympics and Asian Games. Do the Muslim men in
these countries also call their Muslim women as pursuing careers that are
perceived as “un-Islamic”?
Why has
Kashmir fallen so backward among all progressive Muslim societies in such a
short span of time? Why no one questions that Kashmiri women, who have always
dressed modestly are now covered in culturally alien dresses?
The
collective denial of the fact that Kashmiri Muslim society suffers from the
same social evils as the so called “enemy” is consuming the core of our
collective conscience.
The result
is for all of us to see. Kashmiri Muslim women are now the victim of substance
abuse, thousands of Kashmiri Muslim women have crossed the age of marriage and
many hundreds are trapped in violent marriages subject to physical beatings and
other harassments. This is the overall condition of our society, and then we
start taking a high moral ground and patronizing others.
The
question therefore is, what after all will it take to shake the conscience of
Kashmiri society; so that we recognize these social evils and then accordingly
deal with them.
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Javed Beigh is a Political Analyst, who served
as PRO to Ex. CM of the erstwhile state of J&K. Views are personal.
Original Headline: Kashmir's Suffocating
Patriarchy
Source: The Greater Kashmir
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/kashmiri-muslim-women-complain-routine/d/122942
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