Hijab row: Muslim cleric urges govt to allow women students to cover head with dupatta

Bengaluru: Ameer-e-Shariat's Chief Sagir Ahmed Khan Rashadi on Thursday requested the BJP government in Karnataka to allow Muslim girl students to attend classes with a 'dupatta' over their heads, instead of the hijab or burkha.

Rashadi urged Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Siddaramaiah and former minister KJ George to raise the demand before the government.

"I urge Opposition leaders in the assembly, including Siddaramaiah and HD Kumaraswamy, to raise this issue in the session and plead with the government to allow Muslim girl students to attend classes with a dupatta over their heads. We are not demanding the wearing of hijab or burqa. It also becomes that much important due to ongoing exams," he told reporters here.

The Karnataka High Court had dismissed the pro-hijab petitions maintaining that the headscarf is not an essential practice of Islam. The Court ruled that dress code is a reasonable restriction imposed by the educational institution.

Six girl students who were not allowed to wear hijabs during class hours in a college had moved the Court against it.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court said exams have nothing to do with hijab while taking up a plea seeking urgent hearing on a petition challenging the ban on sporting hijab in educational institutes. He also told the counsel not to sensationalise the issue.

The Court last week had said that the appeal challenging Karnataka High Court's verdict would be listed for hearing after Holi. (UNI)