look news india
Political rhetoric has intensified on the recent decision given by Allahabad High Court regarding dress code and hijab in schools in Uttar Pradesh. All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi has strongly criticized the decision. He has not only called it a direct attack on Islam, but has also expressed apprehension that such decisions will have a negative impact on the education of Muslim daughters.
Asaduddin Owaisi angry at Allahabad High Court’s decision
Allahabad High Court had recently clarified in an important decision that no student has any right to change the dress code prescribed by the educational institutions as per his choice. The court had rejected the petition of a minor student of Prayagraj in which she had sought permission to wear a scarf or hijab on her head in addition to the prescribed school uniform.
Giving a sharp reaction to this, Owaisi said that it is not the right of judges to decide what is mandatory according to the religion of Islam and what is not. Raising the question in strong words, he said, “This is our religion and we will decide what is necessary. Who are the judges to decide this? This is a direct attack on our religious rights.”
‘The decision is against Articles 19 and 25 of the Constitution’
Questioning the functioning of the court, Owaisi said that when the Supreme Court is already reviewing the essential religious customs and practices related to the Sabarimala case, then the judges of the Allahabad High Court should not have given the verdict on it. He argued that this order of the High Court is against the fundamental rights of Article 19 and Article 25 given to the citizens by the Indian Constitution.
Supporting the demand to wear headscarf as per their choice and right to privacy, Owaisi taunted that the student is wearing hijab on her head and not on her mind. He expressed concern that such decisions will further affect the education of Muslim girls, who are already lagging behind in Uttar Pradesh. Citing statistics, he said that the enrollment ratio of Muslim girls in secondary schools of UP is already the lowest, and there is a possibility of such decisions stopping their education.
What was the whole matter of Allahabad High Court?
Justice J.J. While delivering the verdict on August 21, a division bench of Justice Munir and Justice Inderjit Shukla had said that wearing a headscarf is not an essential part of the Islamic faith without which the religion would be in danger. The court also held that in order to maintain discipline and uniformity in educational institutions, it is necessary for the students to follow the dress code decided by the management, thereby maintaining uniformity in any educational campus.