NEW DELHI: The full bench of the Karnataka High Court, which concluded its hearing in the Hijab case, is likely to pronounce its verdict on Tuesday.
The demand by a section of girls in an Udupi pre-university college to wear Hijab inside their classrooms erupted into a major row after some Hindu students turned up in saffron shawls with the issue spreading to other parts of the state, even as the government insisted on a uniform norm.
Earlier, the High Court had reserved its order on various petitions challenging the ban on Hijab in educational institutions.
Here’s a look at how the hijab controversy unfolded in the last few months:
Dec 31: An incident of about six students from Government PU College for Girls, Udupi, demanding they wear hijab inside classrooms comes to light. During admission, they were informed about the rules and nobody had objected, the college says
Jan 1: A meeting organised at the college decides not to allow students to wear headscarf inside classrooms.
Jan 6: Pompei College Aikala decides to allow students to wear only prescribed uniform. College hogs limelight after pictures and videos of students wearing saffron shawls on campus go viral.
Jan 13: Eight students from Government PU College for Girls, Udupi, decide to attend classes only if they are allowed to wear hijab. MLA Raghupathi Bhat writes to PU director. Students claim the undertaking they signed at the time of admission spoke only about wearing uniform and identity cards.
Jan 19: Another attempt is made to solve the headscarf row at the Udupi college. It’s decided that students can wear hijab in classrooms; however, once the teacher arrives and classes begin, they will have to remove it. In case they do not agree, they will have to wait for government orders.
Jan 25: Karnataka government decides to set up expert committee to decide on uniform and dress code. It directs colleges in Udupi to maintain status quo till panel takes a final decision. On January 28, even as the college betterment committee at the Government PU College for Girls starts discussions with Muslim leaders and parents to end the hijab crisis, Campus Front of India states it will continue to support the girls.
Jan 31: MLA Raghupathi Bhat says action will be initiated against students who enter classrooms wearing hijab.
Jan 31: Five Muslim girls from Government PU College for Girls, Udupi, approach high court seeking a declaration from it that they have a fundamental right to practise essential religious practices, including wearing of hijab as per Islamic faith, on college premises. On February 1, six students denied entry into classroom.
Feb 2: Controversy erupts in another government college — in Kundapur — as 28 girls sport hijab and about 50 boys don saffron shawl. MLA Haladi Srinivas Shetty requests students to follow prescribed uniform.
Feb 2: Some students protest against those wearing hijab in Sir MV Government College in Bhadravathi, Shivamogga.
Feb 3: Controversy flares up in Kundapur Junior College as nearly 28 Muslim students denied entry for wearing hijab. It spreads to Bhandarkar’s Arts and Science College and later to Government PU College.
Feb 4: A group of students from government PU college in Ramadurga, Belagavi, comes to class draping saffron shawls on Feb 1. But incident comes to light on Feb 4.
Feb 8: Tension grips Mahatma Gandhi Memorial College in Udupi after Hindu students wear saffron turbans and shawls to counter students sporting hijab.
Feb 8: Govt declares 3-day holiday as high court hears petition filed by students.
Feb 9: Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi constitutes a full bench to hear the Hijab row.
Feb 10: The SC refused to list a plea seeking transfer of hijab row petitions from the Karnataka High Court to the Supreme Court on an urgent basis.
Feb 14: Schools opened in Karnataka. Visuals showing students and teachers being asked to take off their hijab and burqa before entering the campus were on rounds.
Feb 16: Pre-university colleges and schools open after they were shut for a week.
Feb 23: The Karnataka High Court states that its interim order in the hijab case is applicable to all educational institutions as long as the matter is sub-judice. Court also said that if an institute wants, it may prescribe a uniform at any given time.
Feb 25: The Karnataka High Court reserves its judgement in the hijab row after a marathon hearing in the case.
The demand by a section of girls in an Udupi pre-university college to wear Hijab inside their classrooms erupted into a major row after some Hindu students turned up in saffron shawls with the issue spreading to other parts of the state, even as the government insisted on a uniform norm.
Earlier, the High Court had reserved its order on various petitions challenging the ban on Hijab in educational institutions.
Here’s a look at how the hijab controversy unfolded in the last few months:
Dec 31: An incident of about six students from Government PU College for Girls, Udupi, demanding they wear hijab inside classrooms comes to light. During admission, they were informed about the rules and nobody had objected, the college says
Jan 1: A meeting organised at the college decides not to allow students to wear headscarf inside classrooms.
Jan 6: Pompei College Aikala decides to allow students to wear only prescribed uniform. College hogs limelight after pictures and videos of students wearing saffron shawls on campus go viral.
Jan 13: Eight students from Government PU College for Girls, Udupi, decide to attend classes only if they are allowed to wear hijab. MLA Raghupathi Bhat writes to PU director. Students claim the undertaking they signed at the time of admission spoke only about wearing uniform and identity cards.
Jan 19: Another attempt is made to solve the headscarf row at the Udupi college. It’s decided that students can wear hijab in classrooms; however, once the teacher arrives and classes begin, they will have to remove it. In case they do not agree, they will have to wait for government orders.
Jan 25: Karnataka government decides to set up expert committee to decide on uniform and dress code. It directs colleges in Udupi to maintain status quo till panel takes a final decision. On January 28, even as the college betterment committee at the Government PU College for Girls starts discussions with Muslim leaders and parents to end the hijab crisis, Campus Front of India states it will continue to support the girls.
Jan 31: MLA Raghupathi Bhat says action will be initiated against students who enter classrooms wearing hijab.
Jan 31: Five Muslim girls from Government PU College for Girls, Udupi, approach high court seeking a declaration from it that they have a fundamental right to practise essential religious practices, including wearing of hijab as per Islamic faith, on college premises. On February 1, six students denied entry into classroom.
Feb 2: Controversy erupts in another government college — in Kundapur — as 28 girls sport hijab and about 50 boys don saffron shawl. MLA Haladi Srinivas Shetty requests students to follow prescribed uniform.
Feb 2: Some students protest against those wearing hijab in Sir MV Government College in Bhadravathi, Shivamogga.
Feb 3: Controversy flares up in Kundapur Junior College as nearly 28 Muslim students denied entry for wearing hijab. It spreads to Bhandarkar’s Arts and Science College and later to Government PU College.
Feb 4: A group of students from government PU college in Ramadurga, Belagavi, comes to class draping saffron shawls on Feb 1. But incident comes to light on Feb 4.
Feb 8: Tension grips Mahatma Gandhi Memorial College in Udupi after Hindu students wear saffron turbans and shawls to counter students sporting hijab.
Feb 8: Govt declares 3-day holiday as high court hears petition filed by students.
Feb 9: Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi constitutes a full bench to hear the Hijab row.
Feb 10: The SC refused to list a plea seeking transfer of hijab row petitions from the Karnataka High Court to the Supreme Court on an urgent basis.
Feb 14: Schools opened in Karnataka. Visuals showing students and teachers being asked to take off their hijab and burqa before entering the campus were on rounds.
Feb 16: Pre-university colleges and schools open after they were shut for a week.
Feb 23: The Karnataka High Court states that its interim order in the hijab case is applicable to all educational institutions as long as the matter is sub-judice. Court also said that if an institute wants, it may prescribe a uniform at any given time.
Feb 25: The Karnataka High Court reserves its judgement in the hijab row after a marathon hearing in the case.
