Where Karnataka hijab row stands now: 5 things Indian high court's interim order says
One of the observations, the high court made is: “Ours being a civilised society, no person in the name of religion, culture or the like can be permitted to do any act that disturbs public peace and tranquillity.”
The Karnataka government on Friday night deferred the reopening of the educational institutes amid the ongoing hijab row even though the high court, in its interim order, advised the state government to reopen schools and colleges shut since Wednesday. In its latest order, the government said the holiday is being extended to February 16 as a precautionary measure and exams scheduled in this period will be held. Online classes will also continue.
While the high court will hear the case again on Monday, the Supreme Court has declined an urgent hearing of the case. So as of now, colleges will remain closed, protests near educational institutes in Bengaluru remain suspended, security forces are strengthening the law and order.
Here are 5 things the interim order says
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The high court uploaded the interim order on Friday, a day after the full bench of the high court heard the case.
1. "Being a secular State, it (India) does not identify itself with any religion as its own. Every citizen has the right to profess & practise any faith of choice, is true. However, such a right not being absolute is susceptible to reasonable restrictions as provided by the Constitution of India. Whether wearing of hijab in the classroom is a part of essential religious practice of Islam in the light of constitutional guarantees, needs a deeper examination," the order said.
2. "Pending consideration of all these petitions, we restrain all the students regardless of their religion or faith from wearing saffron shawls (bhagwa) and connect matters scarfs, hijab, religious flags or the like within the classroom," it said.
3. The order is confined to institutions where the college development committees have prescribed the dress code, it said.
4. "Ours being a civilised society, no person in the name of religion, culture or the like can be permitted to do any act that disturbs public peace and tranquillity."
5. "The interest of students would be better served by their returning to the classes than by the continuation of agitations and consequent closure of institutions."
