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A veil not to unveil

by Sonal Gupta
(New Delhi, India)

On the day of fifth February twenty-two,
An order comes, where a sacred veil
Was banned in schools,
Saying it violates school uniform rules.
And ignited a dispute of abuse,
An abuse of fundamental rights.

Several articles of the Indian constitution came to the rescue,
When the dispute reached the High Court—
With some saying the veil is an ‘essential religious practice in Islam’,
And some say the veil is a ‘violation of public order’.
But who bothers of the supreme constitution,
When two pools fight for their own religion.

Violence and protests were consequential,
When the court held in the favour of latter,
In unveiling the sacred veil,
As the fundamental right to freedom of expression
Is imposed to Reasonable restriction.
Alas! they have no fundamental rights to avail
In this secular state.

How does it matter,
Whether Quran mandates a veil?
What matters is the underlying belief
On which they believed—
To veil themselves, as they agreed.

We had intruded in the practice of ages,
Which was started by an Islamic sage,
Then who are we to ban the sacred grace,
Because it’s a veil not to unveil.

Although the Apex Court to hear it finally,
With the hope that a fundamental right
Will be guaranteed to a minor variety,
And the ignited dispute of abuse,
Will end in its entirety.