Former PM Deve Gowda ask K'taka govt to call political parties for discussion on Hijab ban

Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda on Tuesday asked the Karnataka Government to have a discussion with all political parties on the issue of the Hijab ban in educational institutions after the Karnataka High Court upholding the same.

"It's a unanimous judgment by the court...The state government should have mutual discussions with political parties. The matter has not been solved but it is further aggravated," said Deve Gowda.

Further, Janata Dal (Secular) chief Deve Gowda asked the state government to take necessary steps to ensure the safety of girls.

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday held that prescription of uniform is a reasonable restriction which students could not object to and dismissed various petitions challenging a ban on Hijab in education institutions.

"We are the considered opinion that wearing Hijab by Muslim woman does not form an essential religious practice in the Islamic faith, "the High Court said.

"We are of the considered opinion that the prescription of school uniform is only a reasonable restriction constitutionally permissible which the students cannot object to," it said.

A bench of Karnataka High Court comprising Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Justice Krishna S Dixit, and Justice JM Khazi said that no case is made out for invalidating the Government Order of February 5.

The Hijab row had erupted in January this year when the Government PU College in Udupi allegedly barred six girls wearing the hijab from entering. Following this, the girls sat in protest sat outside college over being denied entry.

After this, boys of several colleges in Udupi started attending classes wearing saffron scarves. This protest spread to other parts of the state as well leading to protests and agitations in several places in Karnataka.

As a result, the Karnataka government said that all students must adhere to the uniform and banned both hijab and saffron scarves till an expert committee decides on the issue. On February 5, the pre-University education board released a circular stating that the students can only wear the uniform approved by the school administration and no other religious attire will be allowed in colleges.

The order stated that in case a uniform is not prescribed by management committees, then students should wear dresses that go well with the idea of equality and unity, and does not disturb the social order.

A batch of petitions was filed against the government's rule in the Karnataka High Court by some girls seeking permission to wear the hijab in educational institutions.

( With inputs from ANI )