Karnataka Govt order on Hijab issue illegal: Senior advocate tells HC
Feb 24, 2022
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], February 24 : Amid the hijab row, senior advocate Devadatt Kamat appearing for a petitioner told the Karnataka High Court on Thursday that the government order is illegal.
A bench of three judges, comprising Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Justice Krishna S Dixit and Justice JM Khazi, was hearing various petitions challenging the ban on hijab in educational institutes in the state on Thursday.
In his rejoinder arguments, senior Advocate Devadatt Kamat submitted that the government order has to be quashed and if it goes, there is no restriction on the exercise of fundamental rights.
In a lighter vein, he said that he felt like a batsman and referred to arguments as fast deliveries. He called some arguments good length deliveries. He referred to some arguments as wide deliveries which Court has to decide whether to consider or not. He cited some arguments as no balls perhaps inadvertent-- overruled decisions, dissenting judgments were cited.
Meanwhile, Advocate General submitted a report on the progress of investigation in the complaint registered against Campus Front of India (CFI) in a sealed cover.
Senior Advocate AM Dar appearing for another petitioner argued that "India is neither a Hindu rashtra nor an Islamic republic but a democratic, sovereign, secular, republic where rule of law must prevail."
The Karnataka High Court will continue hearing on Friday various petitions challenging the ban on headscarves in educational institutes.
The Karnataka High Court will continue hearing on Friday various petitions challenging the ban on headscarves in educational institutes.
The hijab protests in Karnataka began in January this year when some students of Government Girls PU college in the Udupi district of the state alleged that they had been barred from attending classes. During the protests, some students claimed they were denied entry into the college for wearing hijab.
Following this incident, students of different colleges arrived at Shanteshwar Education Trust in Vijayapura wearing saffron stoles. The situation was the same in several colleges in the Udupi district.
The pre-University education board had released a circular stating that students can wear only the uniform approved by the school administration and no other religious practices will be allowed in colleges.
