Ahead of the Karnataka High Court verdict on the hijab matter on Tuesday, Bengaluru Police Commissioner Kamal Pant on Monday issued prohibitory orders, banning any gatherings, protests, as well as celebrations of any type in any public place of the city for 7 days, between March 15 and March 21.
Since the issue involved rules regarding uniforms in schools and colleges and their enforcement, various types of reactions after the pronouncement of the judgement can not be ruled out.
In order to maintain public order in the city it is appropriate to issue prohibitory orders, the Police Commissioner said in his order.
Hijab row in Karnataka and verdict
The Karnataka High Court bench, headed by Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, is slated to pronounce the judgement on the hijab issue on Tuesday morning. The matter has been listed in the first half of the day. The three-judge bench, which also comprised Justice Krishna S. Dixit and Justice Khaji Jaibunnesa Mohiyuddin had reserved the matter for judgement earlier after hearing arguments and counterarguments.
Six students from the Udupi Pre-University College for girls had started a protest over being refused to enter classes wearing a hijab, and the protest spread to other districts to become a major controversy, and even led to tension, as some Hindu students started coming in saffron shawls.
The girls approached the High Court and demanding that they should be allowed to enter class rooms while wearing hijabs. As it issued interim orders that no hijab or saffron shawl is allowed in the schools and colleges, petitioners have challenged this in the Supreme Court. However, the apex court refused to hear the matter and asked the petitioners to seek relief from the High Court.
(With inputs from IANS)
