Jumping into the hijab row, Shekhar Gupta-run The Print published a short editorial note that questioned those defending Muslim women’s right to hijab on the ostensible grounds of it being a “regressive practice”, and then equated turbans with ghoonghats, projecting both as regressive vis-à-vis The Print’s idea of “modernity and liberalism.”

Responding to it, academic-turned-psephologist-turned-activist-turned television oracle-turned-politician-turned-andolankari and forever turning Yogendra Yadav took issue with The Print’s line of argument, said the issue at hand “is not about the merits of hijab, but who decides about who can wear hijab and where.”

And then, he turned towards Sikhs and equated the hijab debate with a debate about whether Sikhs should wear turbans or not, or keep unshorn beards or not.

Here is the excerpt from Yogendra Yadav’s piece:

“Whether young Muslim girls should wish to wear hijab or not is a debate that will and must go on within families, friends, community, hostel rooms and college canteens. Since my childhood, I have heard such a debate among my Sikh male friends on whether they should or should not cut their hair and wear a turban. I have witnessed intense debates, emotional trauma, parent-child break-ups on this issue. I have noticed longer beards after 1984 and their disappearance after a decade or so. Such debates can and must go on in any society, within any community.”

We, at the World Sikh News, think Yadav’s articulation is informed by a poor understanding of how Sikhs relate to turbans or hair.

Yadav has questioned the refusal of some of the liberals to stand up for Muslim women students’ right to sport hijab on the grounds of it being a regressive practice. We appreciate that line of argument.

But while doing so, he’s fallen into the same trap: he ended up equating turbans and unshorn hair with regressiveness through innuendo and wants that a debate about whether Sikhs should sport turbans or keep unshorn hair “must go on” in the society and within the community.

Shabnam Hashmi, the liberal, has appointed herself as a measure of modernity for her own community.

My women rights friends,

I have seen your statements, read your articles.

I am not fighting to safeguard the hijab. Period.

Refuse to become a pawn between the Hindu Right and the Muslim Right.

Hijab is neither my identity, nor my pride , and not my dignity.

— Shabnam Hashmi (@ShabnamHashmi) February 8, 2022

Shekhar Gupta has appointed himself as a measure of modernity for all humankind.

And Yogendra Yadav has appointed himself as a measure of modernity for the Sikh community.

There’s liberalism for you – in a post-truth, post-Modi, post-Trump alternative facts flat world for you.

The Sikhs will continue to be guided by the supreme example of the Ninth Sikh Master.

• In Afghanistan, a Sikh will stand up against the Taliban trying to force women to sport a burqa.
• In France, a Sikh will stand up against the law forcing Muslim women to not sport a burqa.
• In the Kashmir of Aurangzeb’s time, a Sikh will stand up for the Kashmiri pandits’ right to wear a tilak and janeyu.
• In the Kashmir of Modi, a Sikh will stand up for the Kashmiris’ right to be masters of their own destiny.
• In the journalistic world of Shekhar Guptas and Yogendra Yadavs, the Sikh will stand up for arguments that expand the idea of modernity and liberalism and will yet call out those who fail to understand religion, legacy and inviolable tenets of believers of any religion.

In his piece, Yogendra Yadav has formulated a beautiful line of argument: “The right answer to a wrong question is still a wrong answer.”

Our advice to Yogendra Yadav: Please read that sentence in your article — “The right answer to a wrong question is still a wrong answer.” Having written it, try reading it.

Mr/Dr/Prof/Kisan/Andolankari Yadav ji, this is how we run the risk of abdicating our sense of right and wrong.  (Your words, not ours.)

To The Print, we say only this — Your journalistic achievement is the invention of 50-word-edit journalism that equates turbans with ghoonghats. You are doing Modi’s politics in your own Shekhar Gupta liberal way. You don’t deserve a response.