Hijab Row: Owaisi disagrees with Karnataka HC order; says 'only one community targeted'

Fuming at the Karnataka High Court's verdict on Hijabs, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday, urged the petitioners to appeal in the Supreme Court. In a Twitter thread, Owaisi said that the verdict suspended fundamental rights to freedom of religion, culture, speech and expression. The Karnataka has dismissed the plea, maintaining that 'Hijab is not an essential religious pratice' of Islam.

Owaisi urges petitioners to approach SC

"If it is MY belief & faith that covering my head is essential then I have a right to EXPRESS it as I deem fit. For a devout Muslim, Hijab is also an act of worship. For a devout Hindu Brahmin, janeu is essential but for a non-Brahmin it may not be. It is absurd that judges can decide essentiality," he tweeted.

He added, "Not even other people of the same religion have the right to decide essentiality. It is between the individual & God. State should be allowed to interfere in religious rights only if such acts of worship harm others".  He also dismissed the claim of uniforms prevented discrimination.

Lashing out at the Karnataka govt, he said, "First, govt created a problem where none existed. Children were wearing hijab, bangles, etc & going to school. Second, violence was instigated and counter-protests were held with saffron turbans. Third, GO & HC order suspended fundamental rights. Are saffron turbans “essential”? Or only a “reaction” to hijab?".

Maintaining that only the Muslim community was being targeted, he said, "In short HC order has forced kids to choose between education & Allah’s commands. So far judiciary has declared masjids, keeping a beard & now hijab as non-essential. I hope this judgement will not be used to legitimise harassment of hijab-wearing women in banks, hospitals, public transport etc".

Karnataka HC dismisses plea: 'Hijab is not essential religious practice'

On Tuesday, the 3-Judge bench Karnataka High Court maintained that 'Hijab is not an essential religious pratice' of Islam. Dismissing the plea, the HC noted that the '(school/college) uniform is a reasonable restriction' levied by the educational institution.  Six female students who were not allowed to wear hijabs inside Kundapura college had moved the HC regarding the case.

The HC maintained, "Hijab is not an Essential Religious Practice. The uniform is a reasonable restriction. We are of the considered opinion that no case is made out in the Writ Petitions". It has also stated that the Government is empowered to issue such an order on dress code, noting 'no case made out for its invalidation'.

In December, Udipi's Kundapur PU college's principal - Rudra Gowda issued a circular - banning students from wearing hijabs in classrooms, claiming it was to ensure uniformity in classrooms. This decision led to uproar, with Hijab-clad female students and students wearing head-scarves were stopped from attending college. Escalating the matter further, students from the other community (presumably Hindu) started wearing saffron scarves to college in protest against the hijab-wearing Muslim students. With protests springing across Karnataka with Hijab-clad women standing in solidarity and saffron scarf-clad students against them, state govt imposed a ban on the wearing of clothes that tend to disturb equality, integrity, and public order and imposed section 144 in select districts.