BENGALURU: The State Government has decided to allow those girl students who missed their exams amidst the hijab row to appear for re-examination, albeit with some conditions. Law Minister JC Madhuswamy said the government will be allowing only those students who missed their exams before the Karnataka High Court’s interim order on February 10, and they will only be allowed to write the exam without the hijab.
During the zero hour on Thursday, Udupi MLA Raghupathy Bhat raised the issue on a bandh called by various organisations against the High Court’s order in the hijab case, and appealed to the House to permit students who missed their exams to re-appear, as they were not allowed entry into institutions with the hijab on. “Some girls who did not take exams that time are now ready to enter classes without hijab. Special exams should be made available to them,” Bhat urged.
Replying to Bhat, Madhuswamy said there is a Constitutional obligation on the State Government, after the High Court has given its verdict. “Neither the government nor citizens can overrule the court’s decision. We only have the right to appeal to the apex court if we are unhappy with the judgment. In this case, the Karnataka Government is bound to implement the High Court’s order until any further orders come from higher courts. Children who did not attend exams due to ignorance or innocence will be allowed to take exams. But only those who missed their exams before the interim order will be allowed,” he reiterated.
Madhuswamy also informed that the State Government has taken the bandh called against the High Court’s order on hijab seriously. He added that if some people are unhappy with the judgment, they have the right to appeal in the Supreme Court, calling the bandh as ‘Contempt of Court’. “We will take action against them accordingly,” he said.
Reacting to this, Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah said that everyone must follow the court order. “But if some people are unhappy with the judgment, they have the right to protest peacefully,” he added.