The Karnataka High Court will continue the hearing on the Hijab row at 2.30 pm on Wednesday I.e., 23rd February 2022 .
The Karnataka government on Tuesday told the High Court that there is no restriction on wearing Hijab in India with reasonable restrictions subject to institutional discipline. Countering the petitioner Muslim girls from Udupi district, who challenged the restriction on Hijab inside the educational institutions, Karnataka Advocate General Prabhuling Navadgi said the right to wear the headscarf falls under the category of 19(1)(A) and not Article 25 as has been argued by the petitioners.
Citing the example of France, where there is a total prohibition of hijab in public life, the AG contended that it doesn’t mean there is no Islamic religion in that country. “I am citing France to test whether hijab is essential.” he added. The AG asserted that there is no ban on wearing hijab in India, but every institution has internal regulation and discipline.
Meanwhile, in the wake of continuing protests over the hijab row in the state, the Bengaluru Police extended the prohibitory orders barring gatherings outside educational institutions for the next two weeks till March 8. The prohibitory order that had come into force on February 9 was earlier slated till February 22. The Karnataka Advocate General on Monday told the High Court that efforts have been initiated by the state to ensure that officials of its education department do not act in an “untoward” manner with Muslim girl students while implementing the court’s interim order that barred religious symbols in colleges where dress codes have been prescribed until the matter is decided.