After the hearing in the hijab ban case came to an end for the day on Wednesday, Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi said if an educational institution has prescribed a uniform, then students must follow it. “We are making it very clear, whether it is a degree college or undergraduate, where uniform is prescribed, it has to be followed,” said Chief Justice Awasthi.
The high court was hearing petitions challenging the hijab ban. The hearing will resume on Thursday, February 24. Chief Justice Awasthi said the court’s interim proposal of not allowing any religious garment in educational institutions was only applicable to students, but they must follow a dress code where it had been prescribed.
The court also heard submissions related to teachers being forced to remove headscarves at educational institutions. On this, the chief justice said the court order was for students only.
The hijab controversy spiralled into a national issue and even led to violence after groups of students protesting the hijab started wearing saffron scarves to schools and colleges. In its interim order, the Karnataka HC had restricted hijab as well as saffron clothing items till its final order.
In another incident, a guest lecturer from a private college in the state had resigned, alleging that she was asked not to wear hijab or display any religious symbol.
The Karnataka HC also sought to know from the state government the role of Campus Front of India (CFI) in the hijab issue. Responding, senior advocate SS Naganand, appearing for one of the pre-university colleges, said the organisation was “spearheading this drum beating for hijab”.
Naganand said the hijab row was started by some students owing allegiance to CFI. To this, the Chief Justice sought to know what the CFI stood for and what its role was. The senior counsel said the organisation was coordinating and organising protests in the state. “It is also a voluntary organisation, which is spearheading and drumbeating in favour of students (demanding wearing of hijab in classrooms),” he said.
Read all the Latest News India and Breaking News here
Comments
0 comment