Amid the raging hijab debate in Karnataka, Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi weighed in by stating that "this is part of Indian state plan to ghettoise Muslims". "Depriving Muslim girls of an education is a grave violation of fundamental human rights. To deny anyone this fundamental right, and terrorise them for wearing a hijab is absolutely oppressive. World must realise this is part of Indian state plan of ghettoisation of Muslims," he tweeted.Â
The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday appealed to the students and people to maintain peace and tranquility as the hijab row escalated in parts of the state. After hearing the petitions filed by some students studying in a Government Pre-University College for Girls in the coastal town of Udupi, the matter was posted for Wednesday.
The petitions sought a declaration from the Court that they have a "fundamental right to practice essential religious practices, including wearing of hijab as per Islamic faith, on the college premises," the single bench of Justice Krishna S. Dixit said.
"This court requests the students and the public to maintain peace and tranquility. This court has full faith in the wisdom and virtue of public at large and hopes that the same would be put to practice," the judge said.
Asking people to have faith in the Indian Constitution, Justice Dixit observed that only some mischievous people were keeping the issue burning. He also pointed out that agitations, sloganeering and students attacking each other were not good. Earlier, Advocate General Prabhuling Navadgi pleaded before the court to pass an interim order that there should be no public protests or demonstrations in the state. Advocate Devadatt Kamat appearing for the petitioner-students who wanted hijab to be permitted, too agreed with Navadgi.
During the argument of the case, Kamat prayed for an interim order to allow the girls to attend classes with headscarves since the exams were approaching.
