Hijab controversy: SC says it will take up plea at appropriate time | Highlights

Country is struggling... with Karnataka incident. The way Congress is trying to divide the country is worrisome... it's representing 'tukde tukde' gang... they have only one goal, to repeat the situation as it was before 1947: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma in Uttarakhand

Uniform Civil Code is the need of the hour. The country is one, so there should be one law for all, says Union Minister Giriraj Singh

Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said, "I think peole are misleading girls... I will not get into the politics of it. Students have the right to wear anything outside school premises, but you should follow the rules and regulations of school."

Thousands of people including females gathered in Malegaon of Nashik district in Maharashtra on Thursday for a pro-Hijab rally. The rally was organised by Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind. The outfit has also called for observing 'Hijab Day' today to protest against the ban.  The protesters demanded that the Karnataka government's Hijab ban order should be withdrawn. READ FULL STORY

Supreme Court said it will take up the matter at an appropriate time. The court said it is watching what is happening in Karnataka and in the hearing before the High Court. Supreme Court asks lawyers to not make it a national-level issue and it will interfere at an appropriate time.

Supreme Court refuses to give an urgent hearing on plea challenging interim order of Karnataka High Court.

For now, the govt, especially BJP members, is responsible for whatever's been happening in Karnataka, as elections are underway & they want to benefit: Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress, on Hijab row

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said that the Hijab order is a grave violation of the Constitution’s Articles 15, 19 & 21 which is being committed in Karnataka.

The Karnataka High Court, hearing the hijab row, on Thursday ordered that no religious symbols are allowed for the students until its final order, thus putting an end to use of both hijab and saffron shawls in the school and college premises. The interim order was given by a three-judge bench of Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Justice Krishna S. Dixit, and Justice Khaji Jaibunnesa Mohiyuddin. "We want to make an interim order on the matter of hijab row. We will hear the matter every day," the Chief Justice stated. Peace has to return to the state, and schools and colleges must open soon, the bench said, adjourning the matter to Monday. READ FULL STORY 

Hours after its local functionary in Uttar Pradesh backed a burqa-clad student who was heckled by youth shouting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogans at a Karnataka college, the RSS' Muslim wing on Thursday distanced itself from his statement and said some fanatics are misusing her to amplify the row over 'hijab' to vitiate the country's atmosphere. In a statement, the Muslim Rashtriya Manch (MRM) categorically said that it does not support such "fanaticism and religious frenzy" and favoured the move to enforce dress code for students in educational institutions Karnataka. READ FULL STORY 

Denying Muslim students the right to wear hijabs to educational institutions is the latest move by the BJP government in Karnataka against minorities and should not be seen in isolation from the overall context of what is happening in the southern state, the CPI(M) alleged. An editorial in party mouthpiece "People's Democracy" said the statements made by ministers, MPs and MLAs on the issue make it clear that Muslims are being "targeted for their religious identity and will be treated as second-class citizens and denied the equal rights provided under the Constitution". :This is the latest move by the BJP state government against the minorities. In the name of not allowing any religious symbols in the dress of students, the right of Muslim girls to get an education is being denied," it said.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday said that it has been decided to reopen high schools across the state from February 14. "The government has the responsibility of maintaining law and order. Tomorrow (Friday), a meeting with all the ministers, Deputy Commissioners, SPs, and ZP CEOs would be held to review the ground situation in the districts. Accordingly, appropriate directions would be issued. I, the Education Minister, and the Home Minister are in constant touch with each other. Senior officials have been instructed to be in touch with district and taluk level officers," he told media persons after a meeting with Ministers of Education, Home, and senior officials. All measures would be taken to maintain peace and order till the Karnataka High Court delivers its judgement (on the hijab matter), he said, adding that necessary measures would be taken to ensure that peace prevails and no untoward incidents happen when the schools reopen. The dress code issue in schools that rocked the state has entered the portals of the High Court, Bommai said and urged everyone to maintain peace and respect the court verdict.

The clerics at the Islamic Centre of India (ICI) will hold an interfaith conference with various religious heads to find a solution against hate being spread in the country, in the backdrop of the Hijab row in Karnataka. In a meeting at ICI, the clerics elaborated on the importance of hijab for women, as laid down in the Quran and Prophet Mohammad's Hadiths. ICI head, Maulana Khalid Rashid Farangi Mahali, said, "Hijab is the religious duty of a Muslim woman, and the Indian Constitution in Article 25 allows every citizen to practice their religion as per choice. Stopping students from attending educational institutions in their hijab is a direct attack on their religious freedom." He said, "We have decided to soon hold an interfaith conference against such propagated hate with heads of different religions to come up with a common solution towards peace, prosperity and the future of our nation." He further added: "The Constitution also guarantees every citizen the right to education. From this point of view too, the Karnataka government is eroding the constitutional rights."

Scores of Left-affiliated All India Students’ Association (AISA) staged a protest outside the Karnataka Bhawan in New Delhi on Thursday in solidarity with Muslim students over the issue of prohibition on the wearing of hijab in Karnataka educational institutes. They were detained by the Delhi Police and taken to the Mandir Marg police station.

Allowing schools to reopen amid the hijab row, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has said outside elements should not provoke people and create law and order problems. "Let us not speak anything about the dress code that would disturb peace in schools and colleges. Let us impose self restraint to maintain peace and harmony," he said. "As the High Court is seized of the matter let us wait for the judgement. In a democracy we all should respect the court order," said Bommai.

The Hijab row started in December end when a few students started coming to a government pre-university college in Udupi wearing Hijab. To protest against it, some Hindu students turned up wearing saffron scarves.  he row spread to other educational institutions in different parts of the State, and the protests took a violent turn at some place earlier this week, prompting the government on Tuesday to declare three days holiday for the institutions.

The appeal in SC contended that the high court has sought to curtail the fundamental right of Muslim student women by not allowing them to wear the hijab. The high court has posted the matter for Monday and also said educational institutions can resume classes for students. 

An appeal has been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the direction of the Karnataka High Court that has asked students not to insist on wearing any cloth on campuses of educational institutions which can instigate people, till the matter is resolved. The plea filed by a student has sought a stay on the direction of the high court.