The Kerala Story could have been a valiant effort to highlight religious tyranny, were it not for its misleading facts

The Kerala Story could have been a valiant effort to highlight religious tyranny, were it not for its misleading facts

By Khadija Khan   A newly released Bollywood film that claims to tell the story of Hindu and Christian women who were lured into joining the Islamic State group has caused huge controversy in India. The Kerala Story – set in India’s southernmost state – has polarised opinions not only in the south Asian country, but also abroad. The filmmakers originally claimed that it is based on the “gut-wrenching stories of 32,000 females” who were allegedly forced to convert to Islam and then radicalised to join the death cult that…

India’s hijab row has been hijacked by the Hindu and Muslim right wing to score political points

India’s hijab row has been hijacked by the Hindu and Muslim right wing to score political points

By Khadija Khan For months now, a debate around hijab and free choice has been raging in India. This all was instigated in January, when a group of teenage girls at a Karnataka college claimed that they had been barred from entering their classroom while wearing a headscarf. The issue soon snowballed. The college’s decision sparked protests, forcing the state to shut schools and colleges for several days. These students started campaigning outside the college gates. Predictably, it provoked a counter demonstration from Hindu nationalist students who turned up outside…