Karnataka hijab row: 'Our patience is not weakness; court's interim order must be followed', says Union Minister Pralhad Joshi

Hubballi: Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Mining Pralhad Joshi on Tuesday said that the Karnataka government has exercised much restraint on the hijab issue and this should not be mistaken as “weakness.”

"Court's decision should be followed at any cost. You don`t follow the interim order of the court. What is this arrogance? The government headed by Basavaraj Bommai is handling the issue with restraint. The government is considering it as a sensitive matter and exercising restraint. It should not be mistaken as weakness," Union Minister Joshi said.

"Are you trying to be extra-constitutional? Which time we are living in? You want to cover the face of girls? This has to be considered seriously. Progressive Muslims should think. This is unnecessary, you are being made a scapegoat," he stated.

He further said, "I appeal to the parents of Muslim children that you have all the freedom, no one is opposing your religious practices. But still communal feelings are provoked. BJP will not approve such appeasement."

"If anyone creates trouble in schools regarding hijab, police will take strict action and put them behind bars. Initiate legal action, we can`t be helpless," he said.

"Muslim women for generations have been kept in darkness. We (BJP) have broken their shackles. I want to ask the Congress leaders to make their stand clear on the hijab issue. If you want to give out a call for Muslim students to wear hijab, go ahead and do it. Otherwise, all parties should tell students to attend classes as per the interim court order. Karnataka is known for communal harmony, good culture. This is not required," he added.

Though a majority of students are attending classes, a good number of Muslim students have refused to shun hijab and are not taking preparatory exams for class 10.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Karnataka High Court concluded hearings on the petitions filed in connection with the ongoing row over wearing hijab in schools and colleges across the southern state and adjourned the matter till Wednesday. 

The full bench of the Karnataka High Court, comprising chief justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, justice Krishna S Dixit and justice JM Khazi, will continue hearing arguments on the Karnataka hijab ban row at 2.30 PM on Wednesday.

Continuing his arguments on behalf of two students from Kundapura college in the high court on Tuesday, senior advocate Devadatta Kamat stated that India's Constitution follows positive secularism, not like Turkish secularism, which is negative secularism. He added, ''our secularism ensures that everyone's religious rights are preserved.''

 Live TV