Hijab Should Be Kept Outside Educational Institutions.

On Monday, the news agency reported that the Karnataka govt told the high court that the hijab is not an essential religious practice and should be kept outside educational institutions. The hearing will resume today at 2.30 pm.

As per the online website Live Law, Advocate general Prabhuling Navadgi while appearing for the Basavaraj Bommai government, argued in court, "There are 3 tests to determine if a practice is essential religious practice. Is this part of core belief? Is this practice fundamental to that religion? If that practice is not followed, will the religion cease to exist?

A Karnataka high court bench comprising chief justice Ritu Raj Awasthi and justices Krishna Dixit and JM Khazi asked the advocate general if hijab can be worn in institutions.

To this, the advocate general replied," The operative part of the govt order leaves it to the institutions to decide in this regard."

"The government order gives complete autonomy to the institutions to decide uniform. The preamble of the Karnataka Education Act is to foster a secular environment," he argued.

Counsel for the Karnataka government also argued that the state's position is that religious aspects shouldn't be included in uniforms.

During the hearing, the advocate general invoked Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar's statement wherein he had called for religious instructions to be kept outside educational institutions, legal website Live Law reported.