New Delhi: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) moved the Supreme Court against the Karnataka High Court ruling banning hijab in classrooms, saying it was a “travesty of justice” that it proceeded with erroneous reasoning to address the issue. The HC had held that wearing of hijab by Muslim women was not an essential religious practice. The board moved the top court along with two other petitioners Munisa Bushra and Jaleesa Sultana Yaseen. The plea said the HC judgment, while dismissing the petitions, has proceeded with erroneous reasons to address the issue. “It is a case of direct discrimination against Muslim girls,” the plea said and contended that laying too much emphasis on bringing “uniformity” in the uniform without accommodating a person of one religion “to cover her hair with a piece of cloth” was a travesty of justice.
“The determination of essentials under the principles of essential religious practice (ERP) had started with the idea of determination of essential religious practice that fell within the complete autonomy of the religious denomination in the matters of deciding as to what rites and ceremonies are essential according to tenets of a religion,” the plea said.
