Hijab ban: Muslim student approach High Court against government diktat

A Muslim student has approached Karnataka High Court against the Hijab ban imposed by a government college.

A massive row erupted in Karnataka after a government college banned Hijab on the campus calling it “indiscipline”. Muslim students of the Government Girl’s College of Udupi in Karnataka have refused to shun “hijab” and attend classes in uniform until the report of high-level committee submit its report. They have also flatly refused to attend classes online as suggested by local BJP MLA Raghupathy Bhat.

The student enrolled in a government college, along with many others, has for the past few weeks been denied entry for choosing to wear the hijab.

College argued that wearing the hijab is in strict violation of the dress code of the college.

In her plea, the student stated that the Constitution of India guarantees the Freedom of Conscience and the right to profess, practice, and propagate religion while reserving the state’s right to interfere with the religious matter only if it involves an issue relating to public order, morality and health.

Unsurprisingly, the student(s) right to adorn a hijab does not interfere with public order, morality or health.

The college had reportedly also banned the use of Hijab, the Urdu language, and the Arabic greeting (Salaam), recently, following which the students stood outside classrooms in protest of the college’s decision.

They also are allegedly being barred from speaking in Urdu, Arabic, and Beary languages. College authorities had earlier refused to discuss the issue with the parents even though the students had mentioned that they were not being given attendance. The college even claimed that the students have always been removing hijab and burqa after they enter classrooms.