CFI office-bearers said that the high court verdict is against individual and religious rights…reports Asian Lite News
Muslim organisations in Karnataka have given a call for a ‘bandh’ in the state on Thursday (March 17) opposing the verdict of the Karnataka High Court on the hijab row.
The high court had on Tuesday dismissed all the petitions seeking direction to the government for allowing hijab inside classrooms. The court had also stated that wearing hijab is not an essential part of Islam.
The Amir-E-Shariat of Karnataka, Maulana Sagir Ahmad Khan Rashadi, on Wednesday gave a call for a state-wide bandh on Thursday, which has been supported by hundreds of organisations across the southern state.
“Expressing our anger against the sad order of the Karnataka High Court regarding hijab, a state-wide bandh will be observed on Thursday,” Rashadi stated, as he appealed to the entire Muslim community to support the bandh between 6 am and 6 pm on Thursday.
The Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) and the Campus Front of India (CFI) have also supported the bandh call. Both the organisations maintained that the high court verdict is against the constitutional rights of an individual.
CFI office-bearers said that the high court verdict is against individual and religious rights.
Meanwhile, a group of Muslim women expressed their strong resentment against the Karnataka High Court’s judgement in which the court upheld the restriction on wearing Hijab in classrooms and educational institutions in the state.
“The Karnataka High Court said that wearing the Hijab is not an essential religious practice in Islam and is not, therefore, protected under by the right to freedom of religion guaranteed by Article 25 of the Constitution. This was not even the question,” said social activist Khalida Parveen while addressing a press conference in the national capital.
Earlier, a Karnataka High Court’s special bench dismissed all petitions seeking direction for permission to wear hijab in classrooms. The HC also stated that “wearing of hijab is not an essential part of Islam. Prescription of uniform is constitutional and students can’t object to it.”
Other women speakers said that they are “deeply distressed by this judgment” and believe that not only is it setting a bad precedent in constitutional law, but also that it enables outright discrimination against Muslim women in public institutions in Karnataka.
“It creates an unsafe atmosphere overall for hijab wearing women, rendering them vulnerable in a time of increased mob violence and repression,” they said.
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