Members of the Freedom Fraternity Movement stage a Hijab Dignity march, in Thiruvananthapuram, Saturday, Feb, 26, 2022.
Highlights
- HC in its ruling said that Hijab is not a part of the essential religious practice in Islamic faith
- HC said prescription of uniform is only a reasonable restriction & constitutionally permissible
- It also said that the Karnataka government order dated February 5 is not unconstitutional
AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi has said that he disagrees with Karnataka High Court's judgement that bans wearing Hijab by Muslim students inside the classroom.
"I disagree with Karnataka High Court's judgement on #hijab. It’s my right to disagree with the judgement & I hope that petitioners appeal before SC 2. I also hope that not only @AIMPLB_Official but also organisations of other religious groups appeal this judgement... " he tweeted.
"For Muslims it’s Allah’s command to be educated while also following his strictures (salah, hijab, roza, etc). Now the government is forcing girls to choose. So far judiciary has declared masjids, keeping a beard & now hijab as non-essential. What is left of free expression of beliefs?" Owaisi questioned.
"I hope this judgement will not be used to legitimise harassment of hijab wearing women. One can only hope and eventually be disappointed when this starts happening to hijab wearing women in banks, hospitals, public transport etc," the Hyderabad MP said.
Earlier today, the HC dismissed petitions filed by a section of Muslim students from the Government Pre-University Girls College in Udupi, seeking permission to wear a Hijab inside the classroom.
A three-judge bench said that prescription of school uniform is only a reasonable restriction, constitutionally permissible which the students cannot object to. "We are of the considered opinion that wearing of Hijab by Muslim women does not form a part of essential religious practice in Islamic faith," Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi who headed the full bench of the High Court said reading out a portion of the order.
The matter had reached the High Court after Muslim girls from Udupi filed a petition seeking permission to wear Hijab in schools and colleges. They had even attended a press conference held by Campus Front of India (CFI) in the coastal town of Karnataka to protest against the college authorities denying them entry into the classroom wearing Hijab.
READ MORE: Karnataka HC quashes petitions challenging Hijab ban, says 'not essential religious practice'
