Amir-e-Shariat calls for bandh over hijab

Bengaluru, March 16 (UNI) Amir-e-Shariat, which heads all Muslim organisations in Karnataka, has called for a state-wide bandh on Thursday over the Karnataka High Court’s verdict against wearing of hijab during teaching hours in classrooms.
Amir-e-Shariat appealed to all Muslim organisations to conduct a peaceful protest and stay away from forcefully shutting down commercial shops.
Meanwhile, six Muslim girl students of the Government Pre-University Girls College in Udupi, whose plea was dismissed by the court, did not attend classes on Thursday.
The court ordered that hijab is not an essential religious practice of Islam and upheld a government order asking students to follow the dress code in classroom.
In Shivamogga district, where a Hindu activist was stabbed to death, as many as 15 Muslim students who reached the college wearing hijab and burkha were prevented from entering the premises. Unable to gain entry, the burqa and hijab-clad students returned home.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Wednesday admitted pleas challenging the Karnataka High Court verdict that rejected petitions seeking permission to wear the hijab inside the classroom during teaching hours, saying it is not part of the essential religious practice in Islamic faith.