New Delhi: After Karnataka High Court’s ruling against the hijab and saffron shawls in school and college premises until its final order, students moved Supreme Court. They seek the stay on the high court’s interim order.
On Thursday, the state high court’s three-judge bench of Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Justice Krishna S. Dixit, and Justice Khaji Jaibunnesa Mohiyuddin ordered that no religious symbols are allowed for the students until its final order.
Wearing hijab is religious right: Senior counsel
During the hearing, senior counsel Sanjay Hegde, appearing for a petitioner, submitted that the Karnataka government has no right to frame rules on uniform, as per the 1983 Karnataka Education Act. The rules on uniform could be framed by the the College Development Committee (CDC) and School Development and Management Committee (SDMC), he maintained.
As per Article 25 (1), wearing of hijab is a religious right. Sikhs are permitted to carry a dagger and are given exemptions from wearing helmets, he added.
Karnataka hijab row
The hijab row started last month after hijab-wearing students of Udupi Government Pre-University College were denied permission to attend classes. The college authorities maintain that the students who used to come without hijabs have suddenly started coming in hijab. The students later went on protest refusing to attend classes without hijab. The issue became a controversy and spread to other districts, leading to tension and even violence.
With inputs from agencies
