Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Thursday sought to move Supreme Court in the latest hijab controversy. Sibal’s plea sought transfer of case from Karnataka High Court to Supreme Court before the Chief Justice of India (CJI) led bench. This, while a three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Justices Krishna Dixit and JM Khazi is scheduled to hear the case at 2:30 PM on Thursday.
Earlier, a single-judge bench order said that a larger bench will consider the possibility of granting interim relief to the petitioners who sought permission to attend classes while wearing a Hijab. The Karnataka college girls have been protesting in burqas (full body veil) to attend class in a hijab (head scarf).
Sibal had said, “This deals with what’s happening in Karnataka. It’s spreading all over the country. In the meantime exams are two months away.” However, the apex court said that if it takes up the matter, the high court may not hear it and asked him to wait for one-two days.
It must be noted that the Supreme Court has not yet commented on the merits of the case.
Earlier in the day, Sibal had linked the controversy to the elections in UP, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur.
Karnataka Hijab Row
Five students of Government P.U. College for Girls, Udupi filed a petition in High Court demanded they be allowed to attend classes wearing hijabs. College authorities said how it is not part of uniform and hence they cannot wear hijab to class. The girls claimed wearing hijab is essential practice of Islam. However, college has held the ground and said that the parents were aware of uniform while taking admission and it is not against religious practice but uniforms are there for maintaining equality amongst students.
Since then, the ‘students’ have been protesting while wearing burqas. The petitioners are defended by Congress leader Devadatt Kamat who cited Sharia and Quran to make points in favour of burqas.
