Karnataka Hijab Row: The Karnataka High Court has adjourned the hearing on the hijab controversy till Tuesday, February 15. The High Court on Monday began hearing petitions challenging the ban on hijab in colleges. There were speculations that the High Court might give a verdict regarding the religious dress code in schools and colleges. But it didn’t happen. The court will now hear again on Tuesday, February 15 from 2.30 pm.
Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Justice Krishna S. Dixit and Justice Khaji Jayabunnesa Mohiyuddin on Monday resumed hearing on petitions seeking a direction to the ruling BJP government to allow wearing of hijab in schools and colleges.
The bench had last week passed an interim order that no religious symbols are allowed for students in schools and colleges till the final order of the court. The order banned both hijab and saffron shawls inside school and college premises.
CJ Awasthi said on Thursday, we want to pass an interim order on the matter of hijab controversy. Peace should return to the state. Schools and colleges should open soon. This is not the final order. Until a final order is given, students must appear in school uniform without hijab or saffron shawls.
He further said, we will hear the matter and issue orders soon. The larger bench also rejected the vigorous submissions of the petitioners seeking a direction to the government to allow students to wear hijab in schools and colleges.
However, the petitioners moved the Supreme Court challenging the interim order banning hijab in classrooms. But the Supreme Court had also rejected the petitioners’ demand for urgent hearing and said that it would intervene only at an appropriate time.
Meanwhile, the state government reopened schools up to class 10 from Monday and is expected to take a decision on reopening the colleges by evening. The hijab controversy started last month after some girl students of Udupi Government Pre-University College wearing hijab entered the college campus, who were not allowed to attend classes.
The college authorities say that the girl students who used to come without hijab earlier have suddenly started coming in hijab. Later, the girl students protested, refusing to attend classes without hijab. Gradually this issue became a controversy and this issue is being raised in other districts of Karnataka as well as in other states. Because of this there is tension.
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