Hijab: Next hearing on Monday

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High court hearing the Hijab issue, on Thursday asked students not to insist on wearing any clothes which can instigate people on campuses of educational institutions, till the matter is resolved.

Posting the matter for Monday, the court also said educational institutions can resume classes for students. The three-judge full bench of Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Justice J.M. Khazi and Justice Krishna S Dixit, which was formed on Wednesday, said it wants the matter to be resolved at the earliest but till that time, peace and tranquillity is to be maintained.

“We will pass an order. Let schoolscolleges start. But till the matter is resolved, no student should insist on wearing religious dress”, he said.

However, the petitioners’ lawyer Devadatt Kamat requested the court to consider his objection that such an order will amount to suspension of his client’s constitutional rights under Article 25. In response, Chief Justice Awasthi said the arrangement is only for a few days till the matter is resolved and asked him to cooperate.

On Wednesday, Justice Dixit, who was hearing the case, referred the case to Justice Awasthi with a view that a larger bench must look into the case.

The hijab row started 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.  (PTI)

Schools to open from Monday

The Karnataka government has decided to open schools (from first to tenth standard) from February 14, said Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.

The decision on reopening PU and degree colleges would be taken later after studying the situation for two to three days, the CM told the media after a meeting.

Bommai said the government’s priority is reopening schools and colleges and the restoration of peace in campuses. Children must study without caste or community barriers. And more importantly, law and order must be maintained. A virtual meeting will be held with deputy commissioners, DDPIs, chief executive off icers, superintendents of police of all districts on Friday at 5 pm to take stock of the situation.

The state government had shut down schools and colleges after violence on Tuesday