Karnataka HC Chief Justice: Where uniform is prescribed, it has to be followed
India Today
Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi said where uniform is prescribed, it has to be followed. The high court was hearing petitions challenging the hijab ban in educational institutions.
Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi said that its interim proposal of no religious garments in educational institutions is applicable only to students but all students must follow the uniform code where it is prescribed.
The high court was hearing respondents and the government in the hijab case. Chief Justice Awasthi, while responding to another advocate who submitted that teachers are being forced to remove headscarves, said that the order is confined to students only.
CJ Awasthi said, "The order is clear. If a uniform is prescribed, they have to follow it, whether it is degree college or PU college."
The Karnataka High Court, which is hearing some Muslim girls' plea against the hijab ban, in its interim order had restricted the use of hijab and saffron shawl or scarves till the final order.
A guest lecturer in a private college in Karnataka had resigned after she was allegedly asked not to wear hijab or display any religious symbol.
Meanwhile, Senior Advocate SS Naganand, appearing for one of the PU colleges said the hijab issue was started by Campus Front of India (CFI) and members of the outfit met students and authorities insisting that students be allowed to wear hijab.
Advocate Naganand said, "Campus Front of India (CFI) is an organisation spearheading this drum beating for hijab. It is not an educational organisation or representative of students. It is some organisation which comes and creates this commotion."
