Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court will hear the pleas on banning Muslim students attending classes with hijab in Udupi. Two separate petitions have been filed by the students and others before the Court. Ayesha Hajeera Almas, Reshma, Aliya Assadi, Shafa and Muskaan Zainab, students of the Girls’ Government Pre-University College at Udupi filed petition. Another petition is filed by Resham, a student, and one Mubarak.
The first petition stated that the petitioners, who regularly wear headscarves over college uniform, were insisted upon by the principal, vice-principal and a lecturer to remove them, although they had pointed out that wearing it is part of their religious and social culture and doesn’t come in the way of discipline and education. Further, they alleged, not allowed to attend regular physical classes since January 1, they were losing out on education, and sought inquiry against the lecturers and others.
Right of a woman to choose her dress is a fundamental right protected under Article 25 (1), when such prescription of dress is an essential part of her religion, the petitioners in the second plea prayed before court, seeking direction to declare the petitioners’ right to wear hijab a fundamental right and an essential practice of Islam.