28-Mar-2024  Srinagar booked.net

Culture - ReligionGovernanceIndia

Muslim Women Students Abstain Examinations In India’s Karnataka

Both Hijab & Salah (5 Time Prayers) is mandatory in Islam.

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Forty Muslim girl students from the Karnataka state of India abstained from appearing for pre-university examinations on Tuesday after the state high court banned Hijab (Head Scraf, mandatory in Islam) on March 15.

The Karnataka High Court had said the “headscarf is not a part of the essential religious practice in Islamic faith and also stated that the uniform dress rule should be followed in educational institutions where it has been prescribed.”

Students decided to not appear for the examination without wearing the headscarf, Indian Express quoted sources.

Among these students are 24 girls from Kundapur, 14 from Byndoor and two from Udupi Government Girls PU College who are also fighting a legal battle over wearing hijab in schools.

The girls had earlier boycotted the practical examinations also. At the RN Shetty PU College, 13 out of 28 Muslim girl students appeared for the examination. Though some students reached the examination centre wearing hijabs, they were denied permission.

“Though, the students are planning to wait till the apex court gives an order on the issue,” people associated with the issue said.

The hijab controversy started in Karnataka on January 1, this year when six girl students of the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial College in Karnataka's Udupi gave a press conference to protest the college authorities’ denial of permission for wearing their hijabs.

The denial became a heated controversy when a hijab-clad student, Muskan Khan was heckled by a mob of boys wearing saffron shawls and chanting 'Jai Shri Ram' (Victory to Hindu God, Lord Rama) – her retaliation of shouting back “Allahu Akbar” (God is Greatest) went viral on social media and globally criticised.

Muskan is among the cohort of female students who skipped their exams last week. Her father told media that she requested college authorities to appear with Hijab for exam but they denied as a result, she abstained.

Subsequently, at an educational institutional in India's Madhya Pradesh, a probe has been launched after a girl was seen offering Namaz (Muslim Prayers) inside a classroom.

A video of a student of Dr Harisingh Gaur Central University in Madhya Pradesh’s Sagar has gone viral. After the incident, a Hindu organization wrote to the university administration and demanded a probe into the matter.

"It has been directed to all students that all religious acts are to be done in personal premises or religious places," said the university.

Both Hijab & Salah (5 Time Prayers) is mandatory in Islam.

Moreover, the Right to freedom of religion is well enshrined in the Articles 25, 26, 27 and 28 of Indian constitution that give all Indian citizens right to preach, practice and propagate any religion of their choice.