Karnataka HC hears the petition against the "Hijab Row"

 

In the midst of the current controversy in Karnataka over the wearing of headscarves in class, the state High Court has resumed hearing the students’ petition challenging the Hijab Ban in institutions. A number of Muslim students have filed petitions with Justice Krishna S Dixit, who is hearing their cases. Senior Advocate Devdutt Kamat is representing the petitioners, who are requesting that the court issue orders to the government and the education department allowing them to attend classes in hijab. “We shall act on the basis of logic and law, not on the basis of emotion or passion.” We shall follow the Constitution. “For me, the Constitution is the Bhagavad Gita,” lawyer Kaleeswaram Raj stated earlier in the day during a hearing.

The controversy began last month at the Government Females PU College in Udupi district, when six students claimed they were excluded from classes for wearing headscarves, prompting several Muslim girls to follow suit.

Headscarves were objected to by right-wing groups in Udupi and Chikkamagaluru, and the protests extended across the state. As a form of revenge, many students wore saffron scarves to class. In solidarity of hijab-wearing girls, Dalit students adopted blue scarves.

To avoid communal conflict, two colleges declared a holiday. Students at another college were allowed to wear the headscarf in separate courses.

Students who insist on wearing hijab (head scarves) will not be admitted into government educational institutions, according to Education Minister BC Nagesh. He also ordered that female protester be placed in a separate college room.

Ahead of the High Court hearing on the row, Chief Minister Basavraj Bommai appealed to everyone to maintain peace. “The matter is before the High Court and it will be decided there… I appeal to everyone to maintain peace… All should follow the state’s order (on uniform) until the court decides,” he said.

On February 5, the Karnataka state government issued an order making uniforms mandated by it or private institution managements mandatory for students in state schools and pre-university colleges.

 

CM Basavaraj Bommai said on Tuesday that schools in Karnataka would be closed for three days due to ongoing judicial proceedings surrounding a prohibition on hijab in educational institutions.

I appeal to all the students, teachers and management of schools and colleges as well as people of karnataka to maintain peace and harmony. I have ordered closure of all high schools and colleges for next three days. All concerned are requested to cooperate.

— Basavaraj S Bommai (@BSBommai) February 8, 2022 ">http://

I appeal to all the students, teachers and management of schools and colleges as well as people of karnataka to maintain peace and harmony. I have ordered closure of all high schools and colleges for next three days. All concerned are requested to cooperate.

— Basavaraj S Bommai (@BSBommai) February 8, 2022

 

What does the petition say?

The petitioners, Suha Maulana and Aisha Aleefa, students at the government pre-university college in Udupi district, are seeking permission to wear hijab. They state in their petition that there was no disagreement about hijabs when they were admitted to the college. “On February 3, the principal suddenly imposed the limitation, claiming that they have a government order restricting hijabs inside classes” as per the petition.

The students claim in their petition that the college has banned them from entering the campus because they wear ‘hijabs’ (headscarves) at the request of the MLA. When the girls’ parents questioned the principal about the decision, he told them that it was made on the orders of the MLA, who is the president of the college development committee, according to the students’ petition.

The petitioners have also requested that the Court grant interim relief because the students have been unable to attend normal physical education sessions since February 4, ‘which is significantly hurting their education.’

The similar request has been made by two students from a private college in Kundapur.

The students stated that the ban violates Article 25 of the Constitution, which guarantees religious freedom.

 

Mob chanting ‘Jai Shree Ram'

A student in a burqa was heckled by a huge number of slogan-shouting, saffron scarf-wearing boys in a college in Mandya, the hijab vs. saffron scarf row in Karnataka colleges took on a terrifying form.

The Mandya pre-University college has released video of a fight between a Muslim student and a saffron-clad mob.

When students wearing saffron scarves shout “Jai Shri Ram” and come towards the young woman in the video, she parks her scooter and walks to the college building.

“Allah hu Akbar!” the Muslim student responds!