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No headdress for women suffering from alopecia to hide 'ugliness': Karnataka hijab row argument in court
As the debate veered towards whether other religious symbols are allowed, Justice Krishna Dixit said if a lady suffers from alopecia, she will not be allowed headdress to “minimise her ugliness”
Justice Krishna S Dixit, one of the judges of the full-bench of the Karnataka high court, which is hearing the hijab row of the state, on Wednesday said if a lady belonging to another community suffers from alopecia, a disease which results in hair loss, she will not be permitted to wear a headdress to "minimize her ugliness", Justice Dixit said while the lawyers appearing on behalf of the petitioners contested that the hijab row is purely religion-based discrimination against Muslim girls.
While the comment linking the hijab row to alopecia and "ugliness" has drawn reaction on social media, the court is yet to pass a final order regarding the case and will hear it again on Thursday.
Hijab discrimination purely based on religion: Petitioner
"This discrimination against Muslim girls is purely on the basis of religion and hence hostile discrimination, which violates Article 15 of the Indian constitution. We are not heard but straightaway punished. This is draconian," senior advocate Ravi Varma Kumar who is representing the petitioners said.
Advocate Kumar said there is no uniform in pre-university government colleges. The bench asked him about the legality of the guidelines and who issued them. Advocate Ravi Varma Kumar also said the College Development Committees are not for students' welfare or discipline; these are to monitor academic standards.
With the hearing on, classes reopened in the state after being shut for a week following violent clashes over the issue. Reports said as many as 28 students in two Mangaluru colleges were sent back home on Wednesday as they came wearing hijab to classes. Karnataka education minister BC Nagesh and home minister Araga Jnanendra said the situation remained peaceful, except for a few sporadic incidents.
In the interim order, the Karnataka high court has barred any religious clothing inside the premises of the educational institutions.
