The state’s highest court on Tuesday ruled that the headscarf is not an “essential religious practice in the Muslim faith” and dismissed a series of lawsuits filed by Muslim students denied denied admission to classes at many schools and colleges across the state.
The court also ruled that requiring students to adhere to school uniform was a “reasonable restriction, constitutionally permissible, and which the student could not object.”
Prime Minister Karnataka Basavaraj Bommai called for calm following the ruling, which authorities fear could spark religious protests.
“I ask everyone to obey the orders of the supreme court and maintain peace and order,” Bommai told reporters on Tuesday. “And allow the kids to study as usual.”
The controversy erupted after students held a small protest in January ask them for permission inside the classroom while wearing Islamic clothing.
The dispute is seen as a symbol of deeper religious tensions in the state, where authorities ordered the closure of all high schools and colleges for several days to prevent protests in early February. Protests in the state capital, Bengaluru, were also banned outside educational institutions for two weeks.
Scores of women from other Indian cities, including the capitals Delhi, Hyderabad and Kolkata, also took to the streets to support Muslim girls.
State authorities have supported the ban on the hijab, citing the state’s requirement for religious attire.
However, experts and activists say the full fence runs deeper than the dress code, saying it is a sign of a broader crackdown on India’s minority Muslim population. Degree since Modi’s BJP came to power almost eight years ago.
Karnataka – where only 13% of the population is Muslim – is governed by the BJP, and the state has passed legislation that critics say favors Hindus.
Lawyer Mohammed Tahir, who represents a group of petitioners in court, told CNN last month that Karnataka is a “hotspot” of Hindutva ideology, which is supported by many far-right groups.
“We welcome the ruling. However, we are still uncertain about the reasons,” one of the girl’s lawyers, Shatabish Shivanna, told CNN of the ruling Tuesday. “We’ll talk to the petitioners and then we’ll look at what we want done.”
