The Supreme Court today refused an early hearing on pleas challenging the Karnataka High Court verdict on the Karnataka government’s ban on hijabs inside educational institutions.
The Muslim girls had sought early listing of the issue citing upcoming school examinations.
The top court also declined to give any specific date to hear the petitions.
Chief Justice of India N V Ramana said: “This has nothing to do with the exams…don’t sensationalise” while responding to a request that the matter be heard next week as it would otherwise stop the girl students from appearing for their exams.
“One year will go. All these girls are being prevented from entering the school. Lordships may fix some date next week,” appearing for the petitioners, Senior Advocate Devadatt Kamat said.
The Karnataka High Court two weeks before upheld the state government order effectively banning the wearing of hijab by Muslim girl students in educational institutions in Karnataka.
“Hijab is not a part of essential religious practices of Islam and thus, is not protected under Article 25 of the Constitution,” said a three-judge Bench of Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi and Justices Krishna S Dixit and JM Khazi.
Accordingly, the Court had dismissed the petitions filed by Muslim girl students, challenging the action of government PU colleges in denying their entry for wearing hijab.
Muslim students in Karnataka have been protesting the ban on hijab in educational institutions, saying the Islamophobic move of the Karnataka government violates their religious freedom guaranteed under India’s constitution.
Muslim students, activists, and Opposition leaders across the country alleged that these attacks on Muslim symbols and practices are part of the larger Hindutva agenda of imposing majoritarian values on the country’s 200 million Muslims.
Soon after the verdict, Muslim students in Karnataka who have been fighting against hijab ban, Muslim leaders, human rights defenders, Opposition parties said the verdict is enabling discrimination against Muslim students and it suspends the fundamental rights of hijab wearing students.
