Karnataka Hijab Row: Karnataka HC to hear Muslim girl's plea on Feb 8

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court will hear on February 8 the writ petition filed by a Muslim girl student challenging the action of a government college in denying her entry for wearing a hijab.

When the matter came on Thursday before a bench of Justice Krishna S Dixit, the counsel for the state submitted that the Advocate General will be appearing in the matter. Accordingly, the petition was adjourned to next Tuesday.

The petition has been filed in the Karnataka High Court by a Muslim girl student, seeking a declaration that wearing a hijab (head scarf) is a Fundamental Right guaranteed under Article 14 and 25 of the Constitution of India and is an essential practice of Islam.

The student of the Government-run Pre-University (PU) College for Girls in Udupi district, is aggrieved by the alleged illegal and discriminatory action taken by the PU College which has denied her entry into the college on the sole ground of wearing a hijab.

The petition is filed through Advocates Shathabish Shivanna, Arnav A Bagalwadi & Abhishek Janardhan.:

Meanwhile, Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra on Thursday said children should neither wear hijab nor saffron shawls at schools and he has asked the police to keep watch on religious organisations that are trying to undermine the country's unity in this regard.

Speaking to reporters, he said no one should come to school for practising their religion, as it is a place where all students should learn together with a feeling of oneness.

The remarks come amid a row over wearing 'hijab' (headscarf) by some students at a government pre-university college at Udupi.

"Schools are the place where children belonging to all religions should learn together and imbibe a feeling that we are not different, and all are children of Bharat Mata," Jnanendra said in response to a question.

Speaking to reporters, he said, there are places like Churches, Mosques and temples for people to freely practice their religion and offer prayers, while at schools there should be an academic atmosphere for children to develop a culture of national unity integrity.

Calling on everyone to think in this direction, he said, "There are religious organisations who think otherwise, I have asked police to keep a watch on them. Those who cause hindrance or undermine this country's unity, they have to be dealt with," he said.

Responding to a question about Hindu students wearing saffron shawls as a retaliatory measure for hijab and creating an atmosphere of conflict, Jnanendra said, no one should come to school to practise their religion.

"Everyone should come there to learn as the children of Bharat Mata. No one should wear either hijab or saffron shawl in the school premises, they should mandatorily follow the rules set by school management committees," he added

In another incident, Muslim girl students of the Kundapur PU college, who reached the institution today wearing the hijab, were stopped at the gate by the principal. They were informed that they are not allowed to wear the headscarf inside the classrooms and asked to remove it before entering. Yesterday, around 100 Hindu students came to classes wearing saffron shawls as a counter to the girls wearing hijabs.