Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has declared that hijab is not an essential religious practice in Islam, dealing a major setback to Muslim students at the Government Pre-University Girls College in Udupi who had sought permission to wear hijab in Karnataka institutions.
The state government had banned big gatherings for a week in Bengaluru ahead of the ruling “to ensure public peace and order.” From March 15 to 19, Mangalore, too, prohibited mass gatherings. Udupi’s schools and colleges are closed today.
It may be mentioned that last month, the Karnataka High Court temporarily outlawed religious clothing, including the hijab and saffron scarves, when the matter erupted into protests and a brawl between different student groups.