Amid the onging controversy over Hijab ban, more than 700 people, including lawyers and activists, have written an open letter to the Chief Justice of Karnataka on the misinterpretation of the high court order in the hijab controversy, leading to violation of the fundamental rights of Muslim women and girls.
According to India Today report, a delegation of advocates, students, women's rights activists from Bahutva Karnataka, PUCL-K, Dalit Minority Sene, All India Students Association, IISC students and others met the director of the PU board, stating that several PUC colleges are turning away Muslim girl students, in violation of the court’s interim order.
“We explained how the interim order applies only to colleges where CDC has prescribed a dress code and not to colleges which don't have one or where hijab was being previously worn,” said one of the signatories.
The letter stated that this disrobing of Muslim girls and women in public view is inhuman, derogatory and an affront to the Constitution and amounts to the public humiliation.
"The denial of education to women on grounds only of wearing the hijab is not a reasonable or proportionate restriction of their rights. The imposition of an absolute uniformity contrary to the autonomy, privacy and dignity of Muslim women is unconstitutional," it added.
The signatories also demanded that students be allowed to take the exams or the exams be postponed till the court’s final verdict. They also demanded a clarification be sent to all PUC colleges regarding the court’s order on dress code.
The PU board director assured the signatories that he would look into the matter.
Many videos have surfaced on social media showing students being asked to remove their hijab and burqa in educational institutions in Karnataka.
