K'taka High Court verdict on hijab unconstitutional: CFI

Bengaluru, March 15 Campus Front of India (CFI) President Ataulla Punjalakatte on Friday termed Karnataka High Court's dismissal of pro-hijab petitions as "against" the Constitution.

Rejecting the court's verdict, Punjalakatte said: "We will continue to support the six girl students who are fighting for the right of hijab."

It is left to those children whether to attend classes or refrain from it. Their parents must take a decision on this, he added.

After the hijab row came to the fore, the CFI had conducted a survey in 21 districts of the state. As many as 11,000 girls have been excluded from education, the CFI leader stated.

Quran says that women should cover their faces. The individual rights must be protected. The government should have a broad mindset. The policy of "Beti Bachao Beti Padao" has been reversed here, he maintained.

Meanwhile, as many as 35 students in Kembavi of the Yadgir district refused to remove hijab and take exams. They were sent back.

Moulana Shafi Assadi, the President of Wakf Board, said that he is in discussions with community leaders. He questioned that the special bench of High Court had a Muslim judge, in spite of that how can they come to conclusion that hijab is not an essential part of Islam?

He maintained that the court's verdict is not acceptable and will be challenged in the Supreme Court.

Congress MLA Tanveer Sait stated that the verdict would create rift among students and challenge integrity. One community has been targeted, religious right is constitutional, he said.

Series of enactments of law on Triple talaq, religious conversion and the cow slaughter will show that one community is targetted, he claimed.