Omar Abdullah, Asaduddin Owaisi React To Karnataka HC’s Hijab Row Verdict, Call It ‘Disappointing’
Ever since the Karnataka High Court pronounced the verdict in the hijab row case, the debate around the hijab ban has gotten even more heated and intense. Twitterverse has been buzzing with netizens expressing their opinions and now political leaders across the country are also speaking up about the verdict and sharing their opinions on the same. Taking to Twitter just hours after the Karnataka High Court verdict, Former CM of Jammu And Kashmir, Omar Abdullah called the decision ‘very dissapointing’. AIMIM party chief Asaduddin Owaisi also expressed his disagreement with the decision.
In his tweet, the former CM of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah expressed his disappointment with the verdict while adding that irrespective of what one may think about the hijab, it is more than just a piece of clothing. He went on to point out that the court did not uphold the basic right and called it a ‘travesty’.
Very disappointed by the verdict of the Karnataka High Court. Regardless of what you may think about the hijab it’s not about an item of clothing, it’s about the right of a woman to choose how she wants to dress. That the court didn’t uphold this basic right is a travesty.
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) March 15, 2022
The chief of AIMIM Asaduddin Owaisi also spoke about the verdict and expressed his opinion about the same on Twitter. The political leader said that he disagrees with the Karnataka High Court’s judgement as is his right while adding that he hopes that the petitioners challenge it in the Supreme Court. In his Twitter thread, Owaisi said that the verdict has ‘suspended fundamental rights to freedom of religion, culture, freedom of speech and expression’. Quoting the Preamble to the Constitution of India he pointed out that every citizen has ‘liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship’. He shared that if one believes that covering their head is essential then they have the right to do so. He went on to call hijab ‘an act of worship’ for a devoted Muslim.
… as it has suspended fundamental rights to freedom of religion, culture, freedom of speech and expression
3. Preamble to the Constitution says that one has LIBERTY of thought, EXPRESSION, belief faith, and WORSHIP….
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) March 15, 2022
4. It’s time to review the essential religious practice test. For a devout person, everything is essential & for an atheist nothing is essential. For a devout Hindu Brahmin, janeu is essential but for a non-Brahmin it may not be. It is absurd that judges can decide essentiality
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) March 15, 2022
MP Asaduddin Owaisi pointed out that judges cannot decide what is essential and what isn’t as it varies from person to person. He said, “For a devout person, everything is essential & for an atheist nothing is essential. For a devout Hindu Brahmin, janeu is essential but for a non-Brahmin, it may not be.” He added that even the people from the same religion cannot decide the ‘essentiality’ of something for another person as it is something that is a personal choice. “State should be allowed to interfere in religious rights only if such acts of worship harm others. Headscarf does not harm anyone,” said the political leader.
6. Banning headscarf definitely harms devout Muslim women and their families as it prevents them from accessing education
7. The excuse being used is that uniform will ensure uniformity. How? Will kids not know who’s from a rich/poor family? Do caste names not denote background?
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) March 15, 2022
9. When Ireland’s govt changed the rules for police uniform to allow hijab and Sikh turban, Modi govt welcomed it. So why double standards at home & abroad? Hijab and turbans of the uniform’s colours can allowed to be worn
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) March 15, 2022
Stating that banning hijab ‘definitely harms’ devout Muslim women and prevents them from gaining an education. Asaduddin Owaisi further questioned if uniform prevents teachers from discriminating while pointing out that schools, police and army uniforms across the globe do their bit to accommodate and reflect diversity. He also spoke up about how Ireland’s government allowed hijabs and Sikh turbans. He went on to call the verdict a violation of the fundamental rights of the students.
11. Are saffron turbans “essential”? Or only a “reaction” to hijab? Third, GO & HC order suspended fundamental rights. We saw media, police & admin harass hijab wearing students & even teachers. Kids have been even banned from writing exams. It’s a mass violation of civil rights
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) March 15, 2022
13. For Muslims it’s Allah’s command to be educated while also following his strictures (salah, hijab, roza, etc). Now govt is forcing girls to choose. So far judiciary has declared masjids, keeping a beard & now hijab as non-essential. What is left of free expression of beliefs?
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) March 15, 2022
15. One can give a more detailed response whence the full judgement is made available. For now, this thread is based on the oral order dictated in court.
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) March 15, 2022
Also Read: Karnataka High Court Upholds Hijab Ban, Says It’s Not A Violation Of The Rights Of The Students
Earlier today, the High Court had upheld the hijab ban while stating that it is not an essential religious practice in Islam and prescribing uniforms in educational institutes does not violate the rights of the students.
