Hijab Ban in Classroom: Plea in Supreme Court challenges Karnataka High Court verdict

New Delhi: A plea was Tuesday filed in the Supreme Court challenging the Karnataka High Court verdict which dismissed pleas seeking permission to wear Hijab inside the classroom, saying Hijab is not a part of the essential religious practice in Islamic faith. The petition has been filed in the apex court by a Muslim student against the high court judgement.

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Earlier in the day, the high court dismissed the petitions filed by a section of Muslim students from the Government Pre-University Girls College in Udupi, seeking permission to wear Hijab inside the classroom. The prescription of school uniform is only a reasonable restriction, constitutionally permissible which the students cannot object to, the high court said.

On January 1, six girl students attended a press meet held by the Campus Front of India (CFI) protesting against denial of entry into classrooms as they were wearing the hijab.

This prompted the boy-students to wear saffron shawls in protest. As the issue of hijab versus saffron scarves spread to several educational institutions in many parts of Karnataka since then, the State government announced a holiday from February 9 to February 15 in all the pre-university colleges and from February 9 to February 16 in degree and diploma colleges.

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In its interim order, the High Court asked the government to re-open the educational institutions, which were hit by the agitation, and restrained students from wearing religious attire till the court issues the final order.