Karnataka Muslims take initiative to resolve Hijab row

Story by ATV | Posted by Aasha Khosa | Date 24-03-2022

Meeting of Karnataka Muslims

Malick Asghar Hashmi/New Delhi

In the wake of the Karnataka High Court upholding the ban on the Hijab in schools and colleges of the State, and the Supreme Court's refusal to list the special leave petition for early hearing, Muslim leaders have stepped up their efforts to find a middle ground to the issue.

Muslim leaders have taken the initiative to speak with the government and suggested that the government could agree to allow the girl students to cover their heads with dupatta. The talks between the government of Bsavraj Bommai and the Muslim leaders are continuing and the community has picked the opposition leader Siddaramaiah as the interlocutor.

For this, an important meeting of Muslim intellectuals and Ulema of the state was held at Darul Uloom Sabeel Logistics in Bengaluru late on Wednesday night. The leader of Congress in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, Siddaramaiah was invited to the meeting.

A delegation of Muslims from Karnataka has also met HD Kumaraswamy to find a middle path t the controversy over Hijab.

The idea behind the Muslim leaders’ efforts is that the girls who use the Hijab are not debarred from appearing in the examination hall The Board's 10th examination is going to be held in Karnataka from March 28. Soon after the 12th exam will be conducted.

The meeting of Muslim leaders in progress

It may be mentioned that after the ban on wearing the hijab-burqa, saffron shawl, most of the hijab-wearing girl students have boycotted the class. Muslim intellectuals and Ulema feel that in this situation their studies will suffer and their future is at stake.

A Muslim leader told Aawaz-the Vice that if the future of the youth is impacted it will also have an impact on the community and the country.

The meeting held at Darul Uloom Sabeel Rashad in Bengaluru was presided over by Maulana Sagir Ahmed Rashadi, Amir Shariat of Karnataka.

In the meeting, an appeal was made to Sidaharamaia on behalf of the Muslims to place their point of view in the State Assembly and the government and try to get permission for the girls to cover their heads with dupatta in schools and colleges.

Maulana Sagir Ahmed Rashdi says that dupatta is included in the school-college dress code. The government just has to allow girls to cover their heads with dupattas. This, he feels, will also not violate the order of the Karnataka High Court while at the same time helping girls who are used to wearing the hijab not feel awkward.

Along with this, Muslims are also waiting for the order of the Supreme Court.