A controversy regarding students wearing hijabs began in January after a few female students in Udupi were stopped from entering class because of their headscarves. Following this, many students and teachers were restricted from entering school and college premises in various parts of Karnataka, videos of which went viral. Following a nationwide outcry against the issue, the Karnataka High Court imposed a temporary ban on “all religious outfits” in educational institutes as it heard petitions challenging the restrictions, reports NDTV.
Today, the Karnataka High Court upheld the hijab ban and dismissed various petitions challenging a ban on hijabs in educational institutions in the state, reports The Indian Express.
“We are of the considered opinion that wearing of hijab by Muslim women does not form a part of essential religious practice. The object of prescribing uniform will be defeated if there is non-uniformity in the matter of uniforms. Youth is an impressionable period when identity & opinion begin to crystallize. Young students are able to readily grasp from their immediate environment. differentiating lines of race, region, religion, language, caste, place of birth, etc. The aim of the regulation is to create a ‘safe space’ where such divisive lines should have no place and the ideals of egalitarianism should be readily apparent to all students alike,” the HC said.
Here’s a look at a few other important statements made by the High Court:
“There is absolutely no material placed on record to prima facie show that wearing of #hijab is a part of an essential religious practice in #Islam and that the petitioners have been wearing #hijab from the beginning” – Karnataka HC in #HijabVerdict
— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) March 15, 2022
“The school regulations prescribing dress code for all the students as one homogenous class, serve constitutional secularism” – Karnataka HC in #HijabVerdict
— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) March 15, 2022
“schools are ‘qualified public places’ that are structured predominantly for imparting educational instructions to the students. Such ‘qualified spaces’ by their very nature repel the assertion of individual rights to the detriment of their general discipline & decorum”- HC .
— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) March 15, 2022
Why #hijab can’t be given reasonable accommodation in schools? “Such a proposal if accepted, the school uniform ceases to be uniform. There shall be two categories of girl students- those who wear the uniform with hijab & those who do it without..” (sentence continued in next)
— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) March 15, 2022
(sentence continued from above) “That would establish a sense of ‘social-separateness’, which is not desirable. It also offends the feel of uniformity which the dress-code is designed to bring about amongst all the students regardless of their religion & faiths”- HC in #HijabCase
— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) March 15, 2022
This judgement by the Karnataka High Court left desi Twitter divided. On one hand, some called it an attack on a woman’s choice of clothing and education, as this could supposedly lead to hijabi girls dropping out of institutes.
Such shameful day for a “democratic” country. It’s heartbreaking to think about all those Hijabi girls who’ll be pushed out of academics. This is what were scared of, this nation has once again let Muslims down. #HijabBan https://t.co/ia4JeQc6bJ
— Arshi Qureshi (@ArshiiQureshi) March 15, 2022
Heart goes out to all Hijab-wearing women. Cannot even begin to fathom the anxiety. What a shameful day in the history of this country.
— Fatima Khan (@khanthefatima) March 15, 2022
Very disappointed by the verdict of the Karnataka High Court. Regardless of what you may think about the hijab it’s not about an item of clothing, it’s about the right of a woman to choose how she wants to dress. That the court didn’t uphold this basic right is a travesty.
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) March 15, 2022
This isn't a country for women. Because the only ones that will suffer from this will be the girls who won't be allowed to go to school without Hijaab. And no, please don't tell me about how their parents should change. We all know how other folks changing for women works out https://t.co/noOcNVQw0W
— Monika Manchanda
(@monikamanchanda) March 15, 2022
#Hijab is not the integral part of Islam.
Such an open mockery of a particular religion
Disappointed by verdict of Karnataka HC. Hijab it's not an item of clothing..it's abt the right of a woman to choose how she wants to dress,Bt court didn't uphold basic rights#HijabVerdict https://t.co/ggdEHSVvb3— Susmita Mazumdar (@Susmita_Speaks) March 15, 2022
Young daughters of India will be denied their rightful education for wearing a headscarf #Hijab. They’re persecuted for their faith, conscience, and identity – just to maintain the ‘uniformity’ dictated by the college/state. We owe you an apology, sisters! #HijabControversy https://t.co/1wKxehq2ZY
— Mohit Gandhi (@GandhiBarrister) March 15, 2022
Every day is a new assault on free expression and choice in this country beyond hope.
— Rituparna Chatterjee (@MasalaBai) March 15, 2022
Choice lay at the heart of the #hijab issue. It still does. Courts and judges need to understand that the freedom to choose is an integral part of justice. And what about all the heckling?
— Harinder Baweja (@shammybaweja) March 15, 2022
Sad to know. Right given to its citizens are being tampered in India. Freedoms of individuals which were given to citizens of India by the constitution are being changed.
— SYED OMAIR (@SYEDOMA09795201) March 15, 2022
On the other hand, several others lauded the judgement as it would supposedly work towards undoing the social divide amongst students.
Very welcome decision by Hon’ble Karnataka High Court in the #Hijab case.
Schools are meant to impart education, teach equality & discipline and remove any societal divides that may exist otherwise.
School Uniform = बच्चों में समानता https://t.co/laLvyB1OfI
— Nupur Sharma (@NupurSharmaBJP) March 15, 2022
Good to know India is still not ruled by Sharia. #Hijab https://t.co/hDTsEg9R1r
— Abhijit Majumder (@abhijitmajumder) March 15, 2022
Very nice. Educational institutes should be places of education only.
You want to practice your religion – do it at your home.
Now the central government should work on passing Uniform Civil Code and Population control bill.
You have the support of the public. Make it count. https://t.co/HtX0tCP6Js
— Abhinav Sekhri (@CAAbhinavSekhri) March 15, 2022
If hijab and burkha were this important then India wouldn't get Sania Mirza https://t.co/qXutMQRVZ0
— Himanshi Agrahari (@himanshisaysss) March 15, 2022
I welcome Karnataka High Court decision that #Hijab is not an essential practice of islamic faith. It's a right step towards gender based religious reforms. However, it is unfortunate the way it came. Challenge against hijab should have come from Muslim women themselves.
— Sanjukta Basu
(@sanjukta) March 15, 2022
The HC judgement is an important step in the direction of mainstreaming & strengthening education opportunities of girl children.#Hijab #KarnatakaHighCourt
— Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) March 15, 2022
Commendable . Honble High court has upheld the sanctity of educational institutions and Code of EQUALITY for all students irrespective of religion race or Color by wearing same dress by all..no discrimination
— Anmol Anmol (@AnmolAn24895865) March 15, 2022
Very reasonable judgment. Every muslim woman in this country is free to wear hijab if she wishes to do so, but in the same vein a school is also allowed to impose restrictions on prescribed uniform. If religion is so important, why not go to a madarsa instead of forcing schools?
— Vaibhav (@Vaibhav24904170) March 15, 2022
What are your views on the Karnataka High Court’s judgement? Tell us.
The post Twitter Divided After Karnataka HC Upholds Ban On Hijabs In Schools & Colleges appeared first on Storypick.
source https://www.storypick.com/karnataka-hijab-ban/