Karnataka HC is right in upholding hijab ban

The Karnataka High Court has rightly upheld the ban on hijab at the Government Pre-University Girls College in Udupi. It dismissed the petitions filed by a group of Muslim students who sought permission to wear hijab inside the classroom. The petitioners reportedly want to challenge this judgment in the Supreme Court, but an important point has been made.

“We are of the considered opinion that wearing of the hijab by Muslim women does not make up an essential religious practice in Islamic faith,” the full Bench said in the gist of its order that was read out by the Karnataka Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi today.

“We are of the considered opinion that the prescription of a school uniform is a reasonable restriction constitutionally permissible which the students cannot object to,” the Bench, also comprising Justice Krishna S. Dixit and Justice J.M. Khazi, also said.

Therefore, it pointed out that “the government has the power to issue the impugned government order…”

The verdict was in accordance with the essential practices doctrine that the Supreme Court conceived in 1954 and has applied in many cases. Curbs on any religious practice which is not essential are not regarded as violations of religious rights.

I have written extensively against hijab, especially against Left-liberals’ support for hijab. In an article in The Times of India, I wrote, “With the row over hijab escalating in Karnataka, liberals are increasingly getting exposed for their moral cowardice and cringe-worthy treachery.

“Moral cowardice, because they refuse to condemn something that is manifestly evil—hijab. Intended to subjugate women, its biggest supporters are the most reactionary sections in the Muslim community. But our liberals don’t feel any shame in getting bracketed with the misogynistic mullahs.

“Liberals are also treacherous because they have turned their backs on individual liberty. For hijab and burqa (just like purdah among the Hindus) are the antithesis of liberty; they are some of the most repressive instruments devised to keep women as chattel and cattle.”

In another article in The Sunday Guardian, I wrote, “Instead of supporting the Basavaraj Bommai government which has taken a progressive stand against a symbol and instrument of the suppression of women—that is, hijab—liberals are slamming the restrictions on hijab.”

I also wrote in this article that “liberals are unnecessarily fuelling the agitation against restrictions on hijab. Almost transforming hijab, a symbol and instrument of misogyny, into a symbol of protest. They are not championing the cause of liberty thereby. Worse, they are equating unfreedom of choice with freedom. Orwellian indeed.”

The Karnataka HC judgment will further incense our intellectuals, pushing them closer to the mad mullahs. This will only help the party they hate—the Bharatiya Janata Party.