Ritika
Karnataka Hijab Row: The Karnataka government has said that the Popular Front of India (PFI) is behind the controversy over Muslim girls wearing hijab in schools and colleges in the state. On the 8th day of the hearing of the case in the Supreme Court, the state government presented its stand.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, on behalf of the state government, said that in 2022, a campaign was organized to instigate Muslim families to send their daughters to school in hijab. In response to this, Hindu students started coming to the college with saffron garlands on their shoulders. It was necessary to follow the dress code of discipline and unity among the students.
On March 15, the Karnataka High Court had upheld the government order to observe uniforms in schools and colleges in the state. The High Court had also said that wearing hijab for girls is not a mandatory part of Islam. More than 20 petitions were filed against this in the Supreme Court. A bench of Justices Hemant Gupta and Sudhanshu Dhulia started hearing on them from 7 September.
Hijab supporters plea
The lawyers of the pro-hijab side cross-examined the first 7 days of the hearing. He raised many issues from religious freedom, secularism of India to the right of girls to get education. Senior advocate Dushyant Dave argued in favor of Hijab even on the 8th day of the hearing. He said that the students are not soldiers of the army that it is mandatory for them to follow the dress code completely.
Dave also said that the trend of targeting the minority community has increased in the country. No one should have had a problem with Muslim girls wearing hijab, but the state government directed schools to make a dress code. The High Court also upheld this.
‘Emphasis on discipline’
Responding on behalf of the Karnataka government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta rubbished the fact that the state government has banned hijab in schools and colleges. Mehta said that the Karnataka government noticed the deteriorating discipline in educational institutions and asked schools and colleges to fix the dress code. Due to this, not only the hijab, but the saffron gamcha was also banned.
‘PFI instigated people’
Mehta told that the college in Udupi which P.U.C. All this controversy started with she had fixed the dress code in 2013. Hijab had no place in it. All the students were following it comfortably. Not only this, in 2014 other colleges in the area had also fixed uniforms. Till 2021, all the schools and colleges kept on coming in the prescribed uniform. A campaign was launched in 2022. Suddenly many Muslim girls started coming to college wearing hijab. The controversial organization behind this campaign was PFI.
Iran’s example
On behalf of the state government, the Supreme Court was told that in response to the hijab campaign and its impact, a large number of Hindu students started coming to the college carrying saffron gloves on their shoulders. Finally, on February 5, the state government had to ask the schools and colleges to set their own dress code and follow it. Mehta also said that the clothes worn in schools and colleges should develop a sense of equality and national unity. Attempts to create separation must be stopped.
The Solicitor General also said that Hijab is not a mandatory part of Islam. He told the court that in some Islamic countries, including Iran, Muslim women are fighting against the compulsory hijab.
hearing will end soon
State Advocate General Prabhulinga Navadgi also appeared on behalf of the Karnataka government. The Advocate General said that the order issued by the state government was completely legal. It is not necessary to publicly follow everything related to any religion. If something is an essential part of any religion, then exemption is given for it. The hearing of the case will continue on Tuesday as well. It is expected that this week the Supreme Court will complete the hearing and reserve the verdict.
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