Wearing hijab might expose children to cultural diversity, says apex court
New Delhi: Letting girl students wear hijab to school might provide an opportunity to make children sensitive to the cultural diversity of India, a Supreme Court bench has observed, during a hearing on the Karnataka hijab ban cases.
On Wednesday, a bench of justices Hemant Gupta and Sudhanshu Dhulia stressed that uniformity in dress code might by the government’s argument, but acceptance of diversity at an impressionable age would prepare students to face the diversity in various aspects of life. Adults could also view the situation as an opportunity to inculcate values in the children rather than having the perspective that the hijab is a cause for distraction.
Karnataka advocate general Prabhuling K Navadgi, when asked for the ground for restriction on wearing hijab in the state, said that the government had nothing against any religion. Rather, it was a matter of discipline in educational institutions, he added.
“The dominant purpose of the government order is to enforce a dress code and discipline. It may have an incidental effect on some other subject,” Navadgi said.
“Right to wear a dress of one’s own choice will not automatically become a fundamental right. Every fundamental right can be restricted in a manner known to law. An assumed right that wearing hijab is protected under the right to expression is to be viewed with caution and cannot be easily accepted,” Navadgi said.
Concurring on Navadgi’s explanation of the government’s motive, additional solicitor general KM Nataraj, who also appeared for the Karnataka government, said that there was no prohibition on religious activity in the state. The government merely wished to ensure equality among children in the schools.
He stressed on this when the bench pointed out that preventing the wearing of hijab was the effect of the government order passed in February, stating, “The state has not said don’t wear hijab. We respect hijab, we respect shawl, everything. It is a simple case of discipline in an institution.”
Two teachers from Karnataka were represented by senior advocates Venkataramani and V Mohana, who supported the order to promote uniformity in schools and colleges.
The Supreme Court is expected to give its judgment on Thursday, since it favored an effective investigation of the controversial matter and closure to the issue soon.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Nitish Kumar's son Nishant among 32 to take oath as Bihar ministers
Patna (PTI): In a major expansion of the Cabinet of Bihar's first BJP-led government, JD(U) supremo Nitish Kumar's son Nishant Kumar and 31 others took oath as ministers on Thursday in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Altogether 32 leaders, drawn from all constituents of the five-party NDA in the state, were administered the oath of office by Governor Lt Gen (Retd) Syed Ata Hasnain at a grand ceremony that was also attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Union Health Minister J P Nadda and BJP president Nitin Nabin.
Prominent inductees included Nishant Kumar, the son of JD(U) president Nitish Kumar, who stepped down as chief minister last month to enter the Rajya Sabha.
The BJP, which is the single largest party in the 243-member assembly with 89 MLAs, has 15 ministers, who took oath on Thursday.
Most of the inductees were those who were part of the Nitish Kumar cabinet formed in November last year after the NDA stormed back to power in the assembly polls.
The JD(U) is represented by a total of 15 ministers, 13 of whom took the oath at the Gandhi Maidan on Thursday. Vijay Kumar Chaudhary and Bijendra Prasad Yadav had taken oath in April along with Samrat Choudhary and were designated as deputy chief ministers.
Sanjay Kumar Singh and Sanjay Kumar Paswan, both from the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) headed by Union minister Chirag Paswan, are back as ministers, and so are Santosh Kumar Suman and Deepak Prakash, sons of Union minister Jitan Ram Manjhi of the Hindustani Awam Morcha and Upendra Kushwaha of the Rashtriya Lok Morcha, respectively.
