The hijab controversy in Karnataka, India is spreading tension in different parts of the country. In the meantime, educational institutions in Karnataka have been opened. A hearing is also underway in the court on the hijab issue. In the hearing on Wednesday, the petitioners in favor of the hijab raised the issue that there is no obstacle to wearing religious symbols by followers of other religions in India.
The Karnataka High Court held its fourth day of hearing on the hijab issue on Wednesday. In today's hearing, lawyer Ravi Verma Kumar, representing Muslim students, said, "You can wear a veil, you can wear a bangle, but why not just the hijab? Why aren't Sikh turbans and Christian crosses banned?"
Ravi Varma Kumar's comment is that only Muslim girls are being subjected to hostile discrimination simply because of communal reasons.
The controversy began when an educational institution in Udupi district of Karnataka banned girls from wearing the hijab in class. At one point, tension arose, leading to the closure of all schools and colleges in the state for a few days. The matter reached the court.
Although educational institutions in Karnataka have reopened after being closed for a few days, the High Court had ordered an interim order that Muslim students should not wear hijabs in educational institutions until the case is resolved. In light of this, on Wednesday, when a number of Muslim students tried to enter a college in Karnataka wearing hijabs or burqas, the college authorities stopped them, citing the court's order.
The students claim that the college authorities did not inform them in advance about not wearing the hijab. When the students forced their way in, they were allowed to enter the classroom by leaving their hijabs in a room.
On Sunday, police lathicharged Muslim women in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, over the issue of hijab. A video of the incident went viral on social media, sparking widespread criticism. The police have already filed a preliminary investigation report against the protesters there. It said that 15 Muslim women joined an anti-government protest without permission from the authorities. When the police tried to remove them, the protesters resisted. This created a 'destabilising situation'.
