Former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Tuesday said the Karnataka High Court’s verdict on the Hijab row proves that the Constitution is supreme over religion and its beliefs, while leaders of opposition parties seemed guarded in their stand in this regard. The Karnataka High Court dismissed petitions filed by a section of Muslim students, seeking permission to wear Hijab inside the classroom.
The three-judge bench of the court consisting of Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Justice Krishna S Dixit and Justice J M Khazi further noted that the prescription of school uniform is only a reasonable restriction, constitutionally permissible, which the students cannot object to. “The decision of the High Court has proved the constitution is supreme over religion and its beliefs. I request the public to honour the decision of the Court and not to continue further on this issue,” Yediyurappa told reporters.
Stating that he will react after going through the court order, Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah said, everyone must “bow down” to the HC order. To a question whether the court order is a setback to the Congress, he said, “What we had said is that the hijab won’t trouble anyone as it is being worn from the beginning. So, we had said that it should be allowed, as they (students) were saying that they would wear both hijab and uniform.” Noting that his greatest concern in the hijab controversy is education, and law and order, state Congress chief D K Shivakumar said, the High Court has given a judgement, but the responsibility for education, law and order and communal harmony is still with the government of Karnataka.
“I appeal to the Government of Karnataka to show mature leadership and ensure: 1) That law and order is maintained in and around schools and colleges. 2) That the education of students is not hampered, regardless of religion and gender. 3) That there is communal harmony,” he tweeted. However, senior Congress MLA and former Minister Tanveer Sait on his part said that a special leave petition would be filed in the Supreme Court challenging the High Court order, as it is “fundamentally unacceptable”.
Pointing at triple talaq, laws against religious conversion and cow slaughter, he said, all these seem to target a specific community or an occupation. Meanwhile, JD(S) leader and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy said, abiding by the High Court order is our duty, while it is the duty of the government to protect the future and the interests of the students and their education. “Let’s wait and watch what measures the government will take in maintaining a cordial atmosphere,” he said, adding that he would speak on the issue in the legislative assembly in detail, if the Speaker permits, as he has given notice in this regard.
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