K'taka hijab row: HC restrains students from wearing religious attire

The Karnataka High Court on Thursday restrained students from wearing hijab or any religious attire till thematter is pending with court. The next hearing will take place on Monday. 

Posting the matter for Monday, the full court also said the educational institutions can resume classes for the students. 

The three-judge full bench of Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Justice J M Khazi and Justice Krishna S Dixit, which was formed on Wednesday, also said it wants the matter to be resolved at the earliest but till that time peace and tranquillity is to be maintained. 

"Till the disposal of the matter, you people should not insist on wearing all these religious things," CJ Awasthi said. "We will pass an order. Let the schools-colleges start. But till the matter is resolved, no student should insist on wearing religious dress", he said. 

However, the petitioners' lawyer Devadatt Kamat requested the court to consider his objection that such an order will amount to suspension of his client's constitutional rights under article 25. "That will be a total affront to their rights," Kamat contended. 

In response, Chief Justice Awasthi said the arrangement is only for a few days till the matter is resolved and asked him to cooperate. On Wednesday, Justice Dixit, who was hearing the case, referred the case to Justice Awasthi's consideration with a view that a larger bench may look into the case. 

The row spread to other educational institutions in different parts of the State, and the protests took a violent turn at some place earlier this week, prompting the government on Tuesday to declare three days holiday for the institutions.

Following the decision, the Karnataka government has decided to reopen the schools on Monday. However, the decision on colleges will be taken later. 

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court refrained from issuing a date for hearing on a PIL seeking transfer of the case from the Karnataka high court. The top court said let the high court take a decision first. 

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The Karnataka hijab row continues to escalate across the state with protests for and against the wearing of hijab or headscarves by Muslim women students. Chief minister Basavaraj Bommai appealed to the outsiders not to disrupt peace and harmony in the state.

Protests took place in Delhi as the activists of Left student wing All India Students Association took to streets against the Karnataka government's Hijab ban order. 

The police detained AISA workers who were trying to march to the Karnataka Bhawan. 

(With PTI inputs)