The decision of the Karnataka High Court upholding the government order allowing the government and college development committees to prescribe uniforms in schools and colleges, drew a slew of reactions across the political spectrum in the country.
Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti expressed her disappointment at the judgment “On one hand we talk about empowering women yet we are denying them the right to a simple choice. It isn’t just about religion but the freedom to choose,” she tweeted.
Karnataka HC’s decision to uphold the Hijab ban is deeply disappointing. On one hand we talk about empowering women yet we are denying them the right to a simple choice. Its isn’t just about religion but the freedom to choose.
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) March 15, 2022
Telangana’s Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao said communal issues were being raked up to divide the people. “People wear different kinds of clothes. Some wear shirts, some wear waist coats, some wear dhotis, some wear sherwanis. What does the government have to do with that? It is being projected as an issue out of nothing. Where will the country go with such narrow mindedness? What will happen?” he questioned.
Another former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah called it a travesty that the High Court had not upheld this right. “Very disappointed by the verdict of the Karnataka High Court. Regardless of what you may think about the hijab it’s not about an item of clothing, it’s about the right of a woman to choose how she wants to dress. That the court didn’t uphold this basic right is a travesty.
Very disappointed by the verdict of the Karnataka High Court. Regardless of what you may think about the hijab it’s not about an item of clothing, it’s about the right of a woman to choose how she wants to dress. That the court didn’t uphold this basic right is a travesty.
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) March 15, 2022
Prominent Kerala leader of the Indian Union Muslim League PK Kunhalikutty said that wearing hijab was the right of an individual and considered part of one’s faith. “How can this be otherwise interpreted, I don't know. Because everybody knows that internationally it is (wearing hijab) part of a faith. I don't know how there can be such a verdict,” he said. He opined that deciding what to wear or not was not against fundamental rights. “Some people consider it very essential, while some people do not consider it as very essential. Even among those who believe there are different ways to look at it. It is an individual right, what to eat or what to wear. Deciding what to wear or not is against fundamental rights. It is not confined to uniforms only,” he said.
A P Aboobacker Musaliyar, general secretary of All India Sunni Jamiyyathul Ulama, said that the verdict was detrimental to the to the faith of devotees, "The remarks that hijab is not essential in Islam is against the doctrines of Islam" he said adding that he was hopeful that there will be a just verdict from the higher court. The Kerala unit of the Communist Party of India Marxist (CPI-M) said the HC verdict was contrary to constitutional guarantees of equality. "Judiciary is not expected to uphold discriminatory policies. Wearing a scarf to cover one's head has never been considered a violation of uniform. Justice from the Supreme Court urgently required," read a tweet from the party state unit.