Karnataka High Court on Friday reserved its order on various petitions challenging the ban on hijab in education institutions after hearing the matter for 11 days.
Muslim students in Karnataka have been protesting the ban on hijab in educational institutions, saying the Islamophobic move of Karnataka government violates their religious freedom guaranteed under India’s constitution.
Muslim students, activists and Opposition leaders across country allege that these attacks on Muslim symbols and practices are part of the larger Hindutva agenda of imposing majoritarian values on country’s 200 million Muslims.
The full bench of the High Court comprising CJ Awasthi, Justice J M Khazi and Justice Krishna S Dixit has been hearing the case on a day-to-day basis since February 10.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar said he is worried about education of children.
“I don’t know why the court is taking such a long time. They should come up with whatever solution they have,” DK Shivakumar said on Friday.
“As far as the Congress is concerned, we’re worried about the education of children irrespective of their dress. Government shouldn’t interfere in it,” he was quoted as saying by ANI.
On February 10, a three-judge bench of the High Court barred the students in Karnataka from wearing “religious clothes” in schools and colleges until further orders.
Wednesday, the High Court said in an oral clarification of its February 10 order that restrictions on wearing religious symbols like the hijabs and saffron shawls would apply only to state colleges where uniforms have been prescribed by the colleges.
