A girl in Iran has been arrested after stripping naked on a university campus. It is alleged that the university’s moral police not only stopped the student at the gate for not wearing a hijab, but also became violent and misbehaved. In protest of the incident, the girl took off her clothes and began walking around campus in her underwear. The video of this entire incident is going viral on social media.
It is also said in some media reports that the girl took off her clothes in protest against the country’s strict Islamic dress code. The police later arrested him. The university administration says that the student is not well mentally. At the same time, the human rights organization Amnesty demanded the immediate release of the student. However, Iran was not what it is today until the 1970s. At that time, Iran was an open-minded country like European countries. People who visited here often never tired of praising women’s freedom. But, after the Islamic Revolution of 1979, the king had to flee from here to save his life. After that this country changed completely. Women’s freedom ended and Iran became a fundamentalist Islamic country, where even not wearing a hijab is punished.
Iran fanatically enforces rules
In fact, Iran is a country based on Sharia law, which strictly follows and enforces religious beliefs. There are many strict rules related to worship dress that regulate people’s public life. The Iranian government closely monitors these rules and receives strict punishments for violating them. However, Saturday’s events surprised everyone. This video also renewed memories of the hijab revolution that took place in Iran two years ago.
If we look at the history of Iran, the society there was quite open during the era of Reza Shah Pahlavi. Even under the rule of his son Reza Pahlavi, Iran was more “open” than Western countries. The number of women in college began to increase. There were no restrictions regarding his clothing, hairstyle and dress as per his wish. Women wearing Western-style clothing could also be seen on the streets. But in the Islamic Revolution of 1979, Reza Pahlavi was overthrown. After that, Islamic fundamentalism increased in Iran. Learn the whole story…
Iran was once more “open” than Western countries
In the 1970s, Western civilization dominated in Iran. The reason for this boldness of Iran was its ruler Raza Shah Pahlavi. In 1936, Raza Shah of the Pahlavi dynasty banned the hijab and burqa. This was a very revolutionary step in terms of women’s freedom. Later, his son Reza Pahlavi became ruler of Iran. But the new constitution came into force in 1949. Meanwhile, Mohammad Mosaddeq became Prime Minister in 1952 and was overthrown a year later in 1953. After that, Raza Pahlavi became the leader of the country. The hijab and burqa remained prohibited even during the reign of Raza Pahlavi, but later men prevented women from leaving the house. He gave some relaxation in this rule, but was in favor of Western civilization. The result of all this was that the public began to call Raza Pahlavi a “puppet” of the United States. His opponent at the time was Ayatollah Ruhollah Khamenei. In 1964, Pahlavi exiled Khamenei.
Then the Islamic revolution happened in Iran…
In 1963, Iranian ruler Reza Pahlavi announced the White Revolution. This was a big announcement in terms of economic and social reforms. But Iran was being moved towards Western values, so the public began to oppose it. In 1973, crude oil prices began to fall on the international market. Because of this, Iran’s economy began to collapse. In September 1978, public anger erupted. Large-scale demonstrations against Pahlavi began. They were led by the Maulvis. It is said that these clerics received instructions from Ayatollah Ruhollah Khamenei sitting in France. Within a few months the situation began to go from bad to worse. Finally, on January 16, 1979, Raza Pahlavi traveled to the United States with his family. Upon leaving, he named opposition leader Shapor Bakhtiar as interim prime minister.
Also read: Is the girl who took off her clothes in protest against the hijab on the university campus safe? What claims are made?
Khamenei’s return to Iran
Shapor Bakhtiar allowed Khamenei to return to Iran. But one condition also remained: even if Khamenei returns, Bakhtiyar will remain Prime Minister. Khamenei returned to Iran in February 1979. Even after Bakhtiyar became Prime Minister, the protests did not stop. Meanwhile, Khamenei appointed Mehdi Bazargan as interim prime minister. There were now two prime ministers in the country. Little by little the government was weakening. There was also a split in the army and everyone from the army to the public began to bow to Khamenei.
Iran changed overnight
In March 1979, a referendum was held in Iran. In this, more than 98 percent of the people voted in favor of making Iran an Islamic Republic. After that, Iran’s name became “Islamic Republic of Iran.” As soon as Khamenei came to power, work began on the new constitution. The new constitution was based on Islam and Sharia. The opposition opposed this, but Khamenei clearly said that the new government should work under the law based on ‘100% Islam’. Despite millions of protests, the new constitution was adopted at the end of 1979.
Sharia law came into force after the new constitution
After the new constitution, Sharia law came into force in Iran. Many restrictions were imposed. They took away women’s freedom. They were now required to wear hijab and burqa. In 1995, a law was passed there according to which officers have the right to imprison women up to 60 years old if they go out without a hijab. Not only this, in Iran the punishment for not wearing a hijab can range from 74 lashes to 16 years in prison. It completely changed Iran. That is, the Islamic Revolution completely changed Iran, it made the “open” Iran “closed.”
Also Read: Hijab Controversy: Can India Learn a Lesson from Iran’s Anti-Hijab Revolution?
The king’s family never returned.
People began to oppose Shah, who led Iranian society towards modernity, because they felt that too much luxury and Westernization was occurring in the country. Women themselves participated in the movement to abdicate the Shah from the country’s throne. He went out into the street. But now many people in this country remember it. Mohammad Reza Pahlavi died at the age of 60 on July 27, 1980, shortly after the Islamic Revolution. He left the country with his family at the time of the revolution. After this, his family never returned to Iran.
