New Delhi: Youth Congress President, BV Srinivas, moves the Supreme Court seeking directions to declare the right of Muslim women to wear hijab as a choice, framing it as their fundamental right. Through a PIL filed on February 10, he has also sought directions to ensure that women are not prevented from education or threatened based on their choice of wearing a hijab.
The plea has been filed in the light of the Karnataka Hijab row where a few female students who were wearing Hijab, had been refrained from attending classes as it is against the dress code rule of the educational institute in concern. One of these girls has also moved to the top court against the issue and sought dismissal of the dress code. "The incidents, on the face of it, violate Articles 21, 21A, 14 and 25 of the Constitution of India, 1950 that being right to life, right to education, right to equality and freedom of religion," a statement by Youth Congress, mentioning about the PIL, stated.
"The Muslim girls and women must be given right to choose and right to wear a "Hijab" if they chose so, as their fundamental right. It is the solemn right of Muslim girls and women to wear a Hijab out of their own choice and the same ought to be recognized as a fundamental right under Part III of the Indian Constitution," read the plea.
Earlier, the Karnataka High Court had ruled in the Hijab row that nobody should be wearing hijab, saffron shawl, scarf, etc. irrespective of their religious identity, to schools and colleges till its further orders. The matter also reached the Supreme Court, but the CJI NV Ramana-led bench said on February 10 that the top court will interfere at the appropriate time and that the HC has a hold over the matter for now. Meanwhile, Srinivas has filed the said PIL in association with Mareesh Pravir Sahay - Advocate-on-Record at the Supreme Court of India and Advocates Roopesh Singh Bhadauria and Umesh Pratap Singh.
Also read: Hijab row: Kerala governor narrates story of woman who refused to wear headscarf
