#hijabrow – Supreme Court Decision is to uphold the ban of hijabs in class. Indian high court has upheld the ban on wearing headscarves in educational institutions in Karnataka. Weeks of protests have erupted in the state as religion has once again been the focus.
The state court released a statement saying hijabs are not an “essential religious practice in Islamic faith” and dismissed a set of petitions filed by Muslim students denied entry to classrooms in multiple schools and colleges across the state.
The court added that uniform requirements are “reasonable restriction, constitutionally permissible and which the students cannot object to.”
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai appealed for the people to calm down after the ruling. Many fear that it could spark a large protest.
“I request everybody to follow the high court order and maintain peace and order,” Bommai told reporters Tuesday. “And allow the children to do their education as usual.”
The controversy began when a small number of students protested outside their school. They were not allowed to wear their hijabs in class. Many have since joined the group which has been met by their classmates wearing saffron scarves. The initial protest regarding the uniform has blown into chants related to religion.
The dispute was seen as a symbol of deepening religious tensions in the state, where authorities ordered the closure of all high schools and colleges for several days to discourage protests in early February. Rallies in the state’s capital, Bengaluru, were also banned outside educational institutions for two weeks.
Scores of women from other Indian cities, including the capital Delhi, Hyderabad, and Kolkata, also took to the streets in support of the Muslim girls.