The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday referred the hearing petitions challenging the hijab ban in certain colleges in the state to a larger bench.
Meanwhile, Karnataka police has banned protests, agitations, demonstrations and gathering within the area of 200-meter radius from the gate of schools, PU colleges, degree colleges or other similar educational institutions in Bengaluru city for two weeks.
The court, which heard petitions on the issue Tuesday, appealed to the students and people to maintain peace and tranquillity.
“Having regard to the enormity of questions of importance which are debated, the court is of the considered opinion that the papers be put at the hand of CJ to decide if a larger bench can be constituted in the subject matter,” said Justice Krishna Dixit in the order.
Earlier, former Congress’ national president Rahul Gandhi had expressed support for the students who were denied entry in classrooms due to the use of hijab. “By letting students’ hijab come in the way of their education, we are robbing the future of the daughters of India,” he said on February 5.
Other political parties have also slammed the ruling BJP over the controversy. “The country is heading towards a civil war under PM Modi’s rule. They are not talking about inflation, poverty but about Ayodhya and Varanasi,” Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav said on February 9, on being asked by news agency ANI to comment on the hijab row in Karnataka.
Hijab versus saffron protests broke out in parts of the state earlier this week. In Shivamogga district, violence broke out inside the Government PU college campus where a group of saffron-clad students threw stones and hoisted a saffron flag, after which the district administration imposed prohibitory order banning large gatherings till Wednesday midnight.
The controversy started last month, with six students of the Udupi’s Government Girls PU college alleging that they were barred from classes for insisting on wearing the headscarves. The matter escalated as many students took a confrontational position and showed up in saffron scarves.
(With inputs from agencies)
