Blow Against Universal Right To Education: CPI (M)
Srinagar, Mar 15 (GNS): Former Chief Ministers in erstwhile J&K state, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, on Tuesday termed as “disappointing” the Karnataka High court’s verdict essentially upholding ruling BJP government’s order banning entry of girls wearing Hijab inside the state-run schools in the southwest Indian state.
“Very disappointed by the verdict of the Karnataka High Court. Regardless of what you may think about the hijab it’s not about an item of clothing, it’s about the right of a woman to choose how she wants to dress,” Omar Abdullah, who is vice president of the National Conference, said in a tweet. “That the court didn’t uphold this basic right is a travesty,” Omar added.
Besides holding Hijab to be not essential part of Islam, the Karnataka high court, among others also ruled that prescribing uniform was not a violation of fundamental rights guaranteed under Article 19(1)(a) and 25 of the India Constitution.
“Karnataka HC’s decision to uphold the Hijab ban is deeply disappointing,” Mehbooba Mufti, PDP president, said in a tweet. “On one hand we talk about empowering women yet we are denying them the right to a simple choice. Its isn’t just about religion but the freedom to choose,” she added.
Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) said the Karnataka High Court judgment was a “blow against the universal right to education without discrimination, guaranteed by the law and the constitution of India.”
“There are many questionable aspects of the judgement. By upholding the admittedly flawed order of the Karnataka Government which virtually prohibits the use of hijab in classrooms, its immediate effect would be to push out young Muslim women from educational institutions in Karnataka,” it said.
The head scarf worn by Muslim students in many States of India has never been considered a violation of the rule of a common uniform in schools and colleges across India, it said. “The best example is in neighbouring Kerala which has the record of the highest participation of Muslim girls in schools and in higher educational and professional institutions. But this judgement gives the right to decide about the headscarf to committees in educational institutions which in Karnataka are headed by MLAs who may have their own sectarian agendas and biases,” it said in a statement to GNS, adding, “Given that this agenda suits the overall approach of the BJP for communal polarisation, the Karnataka High Court judgement may have a dangerous cascading impact across India.” (GNS)
