Hijab case: Karnataka HC adjourns hearing for Monday

New Delhi, Feb 10: The three-judge bench of the Karnataka High Court comprising Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Justices Krishna S Dixit and JM Khazi, adjourned the hearing for Monday on petitions challenging the State Govt rule on dress code in schools.

Karnataka HC said that it will pass an order directing reopening of colleges, and asked students not to insist on wearing such religious things till the disposal of the matter. "First, we want peace and tranquillity in the state," the bench remarked.

Senior advocate Devdatt Kamath, who is appearing for one of the petitioners, requested the court to consider his objection that such an order will amount to suspension of his client's constitutional rights under article 25.

He said, "We are being asked to choose between food and water. We are asked to choose between education and conscience. Kindly, see both are essential."

However, Chief Justice Awasthi said the arrangement is only for a few days till the matter is resolved and asked him to cooperate. He said, "If you want us to decide the issue which also we find constitutional importance then you will have to cooperate. We can continue the hearing on a day-to-day basis and we are ready to decide the issue at the earliest. "

Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court Ritu Raj Awasthi on Wednesday had constituted a full bench comprising himself, Justice Krishna S Dixit and Justice Jaibunnisa M Khazi in view of the urgency to hear the matter.

On Wednesday, Justice Dixit, who was hearing the case, referred the case to Justice Awasthi's consideration with a view that a larger bench may look into the case. The Hijab row started in December end when a few students started coming to the government pre-university college in Udupi wearing Hijab.

To protest against it, some Hindu students turned up wearing saffron scarves. The row spread to other educational institutions in different parts of the State, and the protests took a violent turn at some place earlier this week, prompting the government on Tuesday to declare three days holiday for the institutions.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Education Minister BC Nagesh said, "The Chief Minister will chair a meeting (today evening) and after knowing the real order of the court we will decide (reopening of high schools and colleges)."