Karnataka Hijab Row Live Updates: High court adjourns hearing for February 24

Two teachers from Government PU College, Udupi, have defended the state government’s stand in petitions relating to the hijab controversy being heard by a full bench of the Karnataka high court. “Different public places like theatres and transport stand on different footings,” argued senior advocate R Venkataramani, who appeared for Shalini Nayak and Chaya Shetty, lecturers in biology and physics at the Udupi college. “The school stands on a different footing. It is for the state to ensure that they follow order and discipline and the outer limit is not breached. ”

The government on Tuesday told the high court that there is no restriction on wearing hijab but it is subject to institutional curbs and discipline. Countering the petitioner from Udupi district, who challenged the ban on hijab on campuses, Advocate General Prabhuling Navadgi said the right to wear the headscarf falls under the category of 19(1)(A) and not Article 25 as has been argued by the petitioners.

Contradicting home minister’s assertion, revenue minister R Ashoka said the murder has a link with the ongoing hijab row in the state. “This murder happened when the hijab controversy started. It is evident that there is a link between this murder and the raging hijab row,” he added.