Hijab row: SC's word of caution & parents' concern over phone number leak
Two developments marked the hijab row on Friday: the Supreme Court turned down a petition to give the matter an urgent hearing, even as the parents of six Muslim students protesting for their rights to wear the scarf to college, in a police complaint, alleged that the personal details of their children are being shared on social media.
A day after the Karnataka High Court asked students to refrain from wearing any religious attire to class until it gives a judgement on the case, the Supreme Court rejected the petition of a girl from Karnataka who had pleaded for the case to be heard in the top court on an urgent basis.
Asking the petitioner to wait for the high court to settle the matter first, Chief Justice NV Ramana said, “Don’t spread these things to a national level. We will interfere only at an appropriate time.”
When a lawyer presented the argument that the case had “far reaching implications” and that students have been wearing the hijab for 10 years now, the CJI replied that it is aware of the developments and doesn’t want the matter to be “spread to larger levels.”
“Please do not spread it to larger levels. We know what is happening. Think over, is it proper to bring these things to Delhi? The national level? If there is anything wrong, we will protect…” CJI Ramana said.
The petition had challenged the HC’s remarks that educational institutions in the state can open for now but with no religious clothing on campus, for the sake of peace. The student who challenged the HC’s comments said in her appeal that practical exams begin on February 15 and “any interference on students’ access to educational institutions will impede their education”.
She argued that wearing the hijab is within the constitutional right of expression, right to privacy and “Freedom of Conscience”.
“The government has issued an order thereby denying entry to the Muslim Women wearing Hijab in the educational institutions. The impugned order creates an unreasonable classification between the non-Muslim female students and the Muslim female students and thereby is in straight violation of the concept of secularism which forms the basic structure of the Indian Constitution. The impugned order is also in sheer violation of Articles 14, 15, 19, 21 and 25 of the Indian Constitution and also violates the core principles of the International Conventions that India is a signatory to,” the appeal said.
Parents seeks action against offenders
Parents of six Muslim students who are protesting for their right to wear hijab at the pre-university college in Udupi, Karnataka, have filed a complaint with the police that the personal details of their children are being shared on social media.
The development comes a day after the Karnataka High Court advised students to avoid wearing “religious garments” until it makes a ruling on hijab restrictions in schools and colleges. Meanwhile, in New Delhi on Friday, the Supreme Court declined to hear a petition on the case, saying it will “interfere only at an appropriate time”.
The parents, who submitted a complaint to the Udupi Superintendent of Police, N Vishnuvardhan, sought action against those sharing the details of the girls, including their phone numbers.
The Supreme Court had on Thursday refused to take up another petition, filed by student Fathima Bushra, challenging the Karnataka government’s order last week banning clothes which it said “disturb equality, integrity and public order”.
“In the event of the administrative committee not selecting a uniform, clothes which disturb equality, integrity and public law and order should not be worn,” the order said.
