Hijab row | Karnataka HC verdict disappointing, say J&K parties

It’s about right of a woman to choose how she wants to dress, they say

Omar Abdullah | Photo Credit: Mohammad Arif

J&K parties, including the National Conference (NC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peoples Conference, on Tuesday said they were disappointed by the Karnataka High Court’s verdict on the hijab ban in educational institutions.

“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,” former Chief Minister and National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah said in a tweet.

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti termed the High Court decision “deeply disappointing.”

“On one hand, we talk about empowering women yet we are denying them the right to a simple choice. It isn’t just about religion but the freedom to choose,” she said.

Sajad Lone’s People’s Conference, in a statement, said, “The already growing imbalance in the country further erodes individual’s belief in the idea of India and is impacting democracy. The resulting fatalism causes maximum people to give up on democracy and alienation grows further.”

The Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU), an amalgam of religious bodies in Kashmir, in a statement, said, it "deeply regretted" the decision of the Karnataka High Court.

"Hijab is not essential to Islam. It [the verdict] is an interference in religious matters of Muslims and the Muslim personal law. This one-sided decision of the court adversely affects the right to education of Muslim women who want to continue their studies while wearing the hijab or veil," a spokesman of the MMU said.

He said wearing of veil by the girls in no way undermined the rights of other students or caused them or the institution any inconvenience. "The issue in itself is a non-issue. Veil or pardah are part of Islam as ordained by the Quran for Muslim women. However, there is no compulsion on its use," he added.

The MMU said it was becoming evident that the rights of India’s largest minority Muslims were being subverted for the past few years. "There is a deliberate attempt to interfere in their religious practices and challenge them, which is very concerning and disconcerting," the MMU said.