The Students Islamic Organisation of India (SIO) has expressed its disappointment over the Karnataka High Court decision restraining students from wearing hijab till the matter is resolved.
“The Karnataka High Court has equated hijab – an article of faith – with saffron shawl – a politically motivated gimmick – and essentially asked Muslim Women to suspend observance of their faith till the High Court hears the matter,” read a statement by SIO.
The Karnataka High court hearing the Hijab issue on Thursday asked students not to insist on wearing any cloth on campuses of educational institutions which can instigate people, till the matter is resolved.
Posting the matter for Monday, the full court also said the educational institutions can resume classes for the students.
The three-judge full bench of Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Justice J M Khazi and Justice Krishna S Dixit, which was formed on Wednesday, also said it wants the matter to be resolved at the earliest but till that time peace and tranquillity is to be maintained.
“Till the disposal of the matter, you people should not insist on wearing all these religious things,” CJ Awasthi said. “We will pass an order. Let the schools-colleges start. But till the matter is resolved, no student should insist on wearing religious dress,” he said.
Reacting to this, the student organisation said the HC statement “displays a complete lack of understanding of the issue at hand.” The SIO statement further read that for a believing person, articles of faith are not optional protocols to be picked up or abandoned at a mere whim.
Saying that the Hijab is an essential religious practice in Islam, SIO said the court’s order is a “direct infringement of the Muslim women’s fundamental right to practice their faith, as well as their fundamental right to education without discrimination.”
