Hijab row: 3-judge bench headed by Karnataka Chief Justice to hear case tomorrow
Bengaluru, Feb 9: The Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court Ritu Raj Awasthi on Wednesday constituted a full bench comprising himself, Justice Krishna S Dixit and Justice J M Khazi which will look into the Hijab issue on Thursday.
After Justice Dixit referred the case for Chief Justice Awasthi's consideration with a view that he may decide on constituting a larger bench to look into it, the panel was formed, which will hear the case on Thursday.
The state cabinet, which met earlier before the HC order came in, decided to await the verdict before taking any decision on the issue which has snowballed into a major row.
Calm prevailed today in the educational institutions which witnessed tense moments over the Hijab row earlier, as the state government had on Tuesday ordered closure of all high schools and colleges in the state for three days. Most of them returned to the online mode of teaching, sources said. Primary schools functioned as usual across the state without any interruption.
Justice Krishna S Dixit who was hearing since Tuesday a batch of petitions against Hijab ban in classrooms filed by Muslim students from Udupi district, maintained that these matters give rise to certain constitutional questions of seminal importance in view of certain aspects of personal law.
"In view of the enormity of questions of importance which were debated, the court is of the considered opinion that the Chief Justice should decide if a larger bench can be constituted in the subject matter," Justice Dixit said.
The bench was also of the view that the interim prayers should also be placed before larger bench that may be constituted by Chief Justice Awasthi exercising his discretion, Justice Dixit noted in the order.
The petitions were filed by some Muslim girls studying in Government Pre-University colleges in Udupi district against a ban on their entry into classrooms with their hijabs on.
The Karnataka cabinet, which met on Wednesday morning before the High Court order came in, decided to wait for its verdict on the 'hijab' row, before taking any further decision on the matter, which has snowballed into a major controversy.
"We (at the cabinet) discussed the Hijab row, but as the High Court is hearing the matter, we felt it is not appropriate for the cabinet to take any further decisions on the issue today. It was decided to wait for the court's verdict before taking any decision," Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy said.
As protests for and against wearing of the headscarf by Muslim women students in class-rooms intensified in different parts of Karnataka and turned violent in some places, the government on Tuesday declared a holiday to all high schools and colleges in the state for three days.
Last week, the government had issued an order making uniforms prescribed by it or management of private institutions mandatory for its students at schools and pre-university colleges across the State.
Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra and Revenue Minister R Ashoka on Wednesday accused the Congress of fuelling the Hijab row.
"Congress leaders are adding fuel to the fire in connection with the Hijab issue. If they continue to do so in future, people in Karnataka will throw them in the Arabian Sea," Jnanendra told reporters here.
He said Congress Karnataka chief D K Shivakumar has given wrong information to the media that the Indian tricolour was brought down in Shivamogga and was replaced with saffron flag.
"National tricolour is never flown all the time. Shivakumar is speaking irresponsibly. We can understand the motive behind such statement coming from a senior leader ," the minister said.
Denouncing Congress, Ashoka said, "It is not good for the Congress to instigate people. They give some statement and instigate people. Congress' conspiracy is clearly visible in this issue. One section is fanning this issue while the other is trying to douse it."
Meanwhile, the Bengaluru police commissioner Kamal Pant has promulgated prohibitory orders under section 144 of the CrPC against any gathering, agitation, or protests of any type within the area of 200 metre radius from the gates of the schools, pre-university colleges, degree colleges or other similar educational institutions in Bengaluru City for a period of two weeks from Wednesday till February 22.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
