Bengaluru: In a major development, the Karnataka Government revoked the 2022 order banning hijab from classrooms on Wednesday. The order, issued under the BJP Government, asked students to wear limited religious and traditional symbols in schools and colleges.
Issuing a fresh order, the Congress government in the state allowed students to wear hijab, turban, sacred thread, and rudraksha apart from institutional uniforms. It, however, said that students must not interfere with discipline, safety, or identification of students.
What does the Govt notification say?
“The Government Order No: EP 14 SHH 2022, dated: 05.02.2022, is hereby withdrawn with immediate effect,” the order said. As per the government, students could not be forced to wear or remove religious symbols permitted under the order. It added that educational institutions are intended to promote “scientific temper, rationality, equality, dignity, fraternity, discipline, mutual respect, social harmony, and the responsibilities of our constitutional democracy.”
It added that “secularism in a constitutional sense is not an opposition to personal beliefs; rather, it is the giving of equal respect to all, institutional impartiality, and non-discriminatory behaviour.”
Know what happened in 2022
The BJP Government’s decision in 2022 led to major protests across the state that year. The protests not only attracted attention from the rest of the country but also from other parts of the world. The decision also led to prolonged court battles.
Notably, the controversy first emerged from the Udupi district of Karnataka. A group of students had claimed that they were not allowed to enter classrooms as they were wearing hijabs. Similar incidents were also reported from other states, which led to protests. These protests were carried out by both groups, wither supporting or protesting the new rule of the then government.
The state government was challenged in the Karnataka High Court, with students arguing that wearing the hijab was protected under the law. The High Court, however, upheld the government’s position. The case then reached the Supreme Court. During the hearing, the two judges ordered a split verdict in October 2022. While one of the judges upheld the restrictions, the other judge ruled in favour of the applicants.