Karnataka Hijab row: HC adjourns hearing for Monday

The last two days have been very peaceful. Today a 3-member bench (of high court) has, while adjourning the matter for Monday, appealed to all the schools to reopen but no religious dress codes should be followed by both sides. I appeal to everyone to work together & see that there is peace in the colleges. Schools will reopen from Monday for classes up to 10th standard. Degree colleges will reopen later: Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai

We'll give Goans land rights in 6 months after forming govt. We'll repair all the roads in the state. We'll give free treatment, education, electricity, water & due to these facilities every household will get benefit of Rs 2 lakh per year: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in Poriem, Goa

Classes 9th and 10th to begin from Monday 

Karnataka CM called for a meeting with Education minister and Home minister at 6pm.

Karnataka HC says it will pass an order directing reopening of colleges, asks students not to insist on wearing such religious things till the disposal of the matter.  Court says peace & tranquillity must be restored, adjourns the matter for Monday

Karnataka HC asks media not to report any oral observations and wait for the final orders.

On Karnataka Hijab row, Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar says, "Our country is a secular country and we should behave accordingly." "We should avoid incidents that can further divide society. It’s unfortunate that some people are trying to gain political mileage out of it. Indian culture & Constitution don't teach us to divide people on caste & religious lines."

The Nationalist Congress Party's (NCP) city unit held a demonstration in Pune on Thursday in support of 'hijab' for female Muslim students, amid a controversy over the issue in neighbouring Karnataka. A number of girls and women held placards with the message 'hijab is our right, hijab is our pride', as part of the demonstration in Phule Wada area here in Maharashtra. Protests for and against the 'hijab' had intensified in parts of Karnataka and turned violent in some places on Tuesday after the state government last week issued an order making uniforms prescribed by it or management of private institutions mandatory for its students in schools and pre-university colleges. NCP's Pune unit president Prashant Jagtap said a Muslim girl at Udupi in Karnataka was hounded by several right wing youths some days back. "The heads of Indians have hung in shame due to the incident," he said. 

The Delhi Police detained several protesters outside the Karnataka Bhawan in Delhi. The police have set up barricades outside the Karnataka Bhawan.

Karnataka home minister Araga Jnanendra said that the state police have been directed to ensure law and order while maintaining “extreme restraint” in dealing with students. “Students shouldn't fall prey to communal elements who are hell-bent on making the hijab issue a tool to disturb communal harmony,” he said.

Devdatt Kamat said that the government is playing with fire. They have not even placed the government order on record. Their order says the headscarf is not part of religious practice. Our fundamental rights are being held hostage by some school committee.

Senior advocate Devdatt Kamat, appearing for the petitioners from Kundapura, said that there is an urgency in the case. The students are outside the college. Their exams are to be held in March. I am requesting that some interim arrangement be worked out by this bench.

Karnataka High Court said, "We are considering the issue of whether the wearing of headscarf comes within the Fundamental Rights. We are also considering whether wearing a headscarf is an essential part of the religious practice."

Sanjay Hegde, appearing for the petitioners, said that there is no provision for penalty for infraction of a uniform code. In Karnataka Education Act, penalties are largely for management. Hegde added that uniforms are a school phenomenon for students to be identified if they get lost or run away from school. When students went to college, they stepped out of uniform. Uniforms in colleges came in much later.

Petitioners' advocate argued that students were discriminated against and those wearing hijab were sent out of the class, adding that "students wearing hijab sat outside classroom like criminals"

Advocate Sanjay Hegde, appearing the petitioners, said there are several cases out here and the referral by the single-judge bench was largely on the question as to whether this is an essential religious practice. It was heard at length. Although I will be arguing constitutional questions, there are also statutory questions that need to be answered. To this, the HC said "we first have to understand the questions involved. Please first state the facts of the case and then come to the legal position."

A total of 18 petitioners have moved the Karnataka High Court against the govt's Hijab ban order. Six primary petitioners are from the Udupi Government PU College. Advocate Sanjay Hegde is appearing for the Udupi college students.

Expressing deep concern over the growing tendency of certain forces arousing religious disharmony in the country, the Madras High Court on Thursday wondered as to what is paramount -- nation or religion. In an observation that came in the backdrop of a raging debate over the hijab row in Karnataka, the first bench of Acting Chief Justice M N Bhandari and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthi bemoaned that of late, certain forces have raised controversies relating to dress code and it is spreading all over India. "It is really shocking, somebody is going for the 'hijab', some others for the 'topi' (cap) and a few others for other things. Is it one country or is it divided by religion or something like that. This is quite surprising," the bench added. Pointing out the fact that India is a secular country, the ACJ said: "What is found from the current affairs is nothing but an effort to divide the country in the name of religion."

With the Karnataka hijab row snowballing into a major controversy, the protesting students, who have filed petitions in the High Court against the hijab ban in colleges, have vowed to fight until victory. Shifa, one of the students of Udupi College from where the hijab row erupted, stated that even if the larger bench gives verdict against them on wearing hijab, they will continue to fight for their right. "We will fight until victory. The legal battle on wearing hijab to attend classes will be continued," she said. Expressing full faith on the judiciary, another student Aliya said: "We will fight for our hijab rights which are our constitutional and religious rights in case the court ruling comes against wearing hijab, she said. IANS 

Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil on Thursday appealed to political parties against staging protests or disturbing peace for political gains over the 'hijab' row in neighbouring Karnataka. The minister said it was not appropriate to stage protests in Maharashtra over any issue that has roots in some other state. "It is not in the interest of Maharashtra and its people to stage protests or disturb peace over something that has occurred in some other state," he said. "It is not appropriate to do these things for political gains. I appeal to all political parties and organisations to cooperate in this regard and ensure peace," Patil said.

I'll hold a meeting with Primary & Secondary Edu Minister BC Nagesh & officials along with State Home Minister to discuss briefly whatever happened. Will take a decision today evening on extending closure of all high schools & colleges: CM Basavaraj Bommai

Supreme Court declines to urgently list a plea seeking transfer of the petitions from Karnataka High Court relating to Hijab row to the apex court. Supreme Court says HC is getting the matter today, asks why it should interfere at this stage. It refuses to give any specific date

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal mentions plea in SC on Karnataka 'hijab' issue, seeks transfer of case & hearing by 9-judge bench, according to PTI.

The controversy related to Hijab in Karnataka first erupted in January at a government PU College in Udupi where six students who attended classes wearing headscarf in violation of the stipulated dress code were asked to leave the campus. The row spread to different parts of the state with other community students too responding by turning up in saffron shawls. The row has also taken a political colour as the ruling BJP stood strongly in support of uniform-related rules being enforced by educational institutions, calling the headscarf, a religious symbol, while the opposition Congress has come out in support of Muslim girls. READ FULL STORY 

In a veiled attack at Congress amid the ongoing hijab row in Karnataka, Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Wednesday said some people have decided in indulge in "communal and criminal competition" to misinform people on the uniform. Speaking to ANI, Naqvi said, "Every institute has its own dress code, discipline and decorum. But some people here have decided to indulge in a communal and criminal competition to misinform people on the uniform." READ FULL STORY

Tense situation continued in Karnataka in the backdrop of incidents of violence reported due to the hijab row. The police have arrested 15 persons so far. In spite of curfew orders in Shivamogga district, the NSUI members on Wednesday morning entered First Grade Degree College and PG Research Centre. They brought down the 'Bhagva Dhwaj' or saffron flag and hoisted the Tricolour on Wednesday morning. The police rushed to the spot and dispersed the crowd. They have secured both the flags. Authorities have clarified that 'Bhagva Dhwaj' was hoisted on the empty flag post in Shivamogga college on Tuesday. They have denied that Bhagva Dhawj was hoisted after taking down Tricolour.

Amid the ongoing hijab row in Karnataka, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday came out in support of the girls protesting in favour of hijab saying it's women's right to decide what they want to wear. Taking to Twitter, she said: "Whether it is a bikini, a ghoonghat, a pair of jeans or a hijab, it is a woman's right to decide what she wants to wear. This right is GUARANTEED by the Indian constitution. Stop harassing women." #ladkihoonladsaktihoon

The Congress has come out in open support of the students protesting for the girls' right to wear hijab. The party has accused the BJP of stoking hijab issue to hide corruption. The Congress said that Bengaluru is hub of education and jobs, the multi-lingual, multi-ethnic, multi-cultural identity of the city and Karnataka has been a guiding principle of growth. Congress General Secretary In charge of Karnataka, Randeep Singh Surjewala wrote an open letter and said, "Mired by the stench of corruption & mis-governance, BJP Govt of Karnataka and its vested interests are creating unwarranted issues just to break the unity and spirit of Karnataka's students & youth."

Students from Nizamia Unani Tibbi College and Anwarul Uloom College in Hyderabad on Wednesday staged a protest in solidarity with the students opposing ban on Hijab in educational institutions in Karnataka. The girl students at the Unani medical college near historic Charminar staged silent protest expressing their solidarity with those in Karnataka fighting for the right to wear Hijab. Holding national flag and placards, the burka-clad protesters condemned the attempts to target girl students in the neighbouring state. 'Hijab is my right and Hijab is my pride', 'I respect what you wear, you should respect what I wear' and 'Judge me by what is in my head, not by what on my hand' read some of the placards. 'What is my Hijab got to do with my education,' asked another. "Hijab has nothing to do with education. We have right to education but some people are trying to deny us that opportunities by raking up this issue," said a student.

Launching another attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Telangana cabinet minister and TRS Working President K.T. Rama Rao on Wednesday said the slogan "Beti bachao Beti padhao" has turned into "Beti darao Beti dhamkao" under BJP rule. Lashing out at the saffron party over Hijab row in Karnataka, he said girls going to educational institutions were being threatened and the young minds were being poisoned in the name of religion. "Is this the new India you want to build," he asked the BJP.

The Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind (JuH) has announced a sum of Rs 5 lakh for the Karnataka student wearing a burqa, who gained limelight earlier this week for holding her ground when faced with hundreds of protesting students. The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) also lashed out at the Karnataka government's ban on hijab in educational institutions, calling it an interference in personal freedom. JuH president Maulana Mahmood Madani has said that second-year graduation student Bibi Muskan Khan had put up a brave stance for her constitutional and religious rights against the protest. Madani said the Rs 5 lakh was an encouragement for her bravery.

The Karnataka hijab controversy has reached the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) in Uttar Pradesh. Students in AMU had called for a protest march in the campus on Wednesday but were denied permission in view of the Assembly elections taking place in the district on Thursday. Later, students gathered at Duck Point on the AMU campus over the Karnataka hijab controversy. They raised religious slogans and dispersed after deciding to gather on the campus on Friday to stage a protest march. 

A three-judge Bench of the Karnataka High Court will hear on Thursday the petitions questioning the ban on wearing of hijabs by students in colleges. A three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi and comprising Justice Dixit and Justice Jaibunnisa M. Khazi will take up the petitions for hearing at 2.30 p.m on Thursday.

The volatile situation in Karnataka is likely to continue as the state government has made it very clear that there will be no entry of students who do not shun hijab, or saffron shawls to schools. Considering the seriousness of the situation and to prevent the confrontation in the capital city, Bengaluru Police Commissioner Kamal Pant has clamped prohibitory orders for two weeks from February 9 to 22. Any gathering, protest or agitation of any kind within the radius of 200 meters from the school premises, PU colleges, Degree colleges or other similar education institutes in Bengaluru city, will not be allowed, the order says.