HYDERABAD: Expressing his disagreement with Karnataka High Court’s verdict on hijab, AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday said that the court has suspended Fundamental Rights of freedom of religion, culture, speech and expression guaranteed by the Constitution. In a series of tweets, Owaisi said that it was time to review the essential religious practice test.
“For a devout person, everything is essential & for an atheist nothing is essential. For a devout Hindu Brahmin, janeu is essential but for a non-Brahmin, it may not be. It is absurd that judges can decide essentiality,” he noted.
Asad felt that banning headscarf definitely harms devout Muslim women and their families as it prevents them from ‘accessing education’. “The excuse being used is that uniform will ensure uniformity. How? Will kids not know who’s from a rich/poor family? Do caste names not denote background?” he wondered.
The AIMIM chief alleged that the order means that one religion has been targeted and its religious practice banned.
He held that Article 15 prohibits discrimination based on religion. “Is this not a violation of the same? In short, HC order has forced kids to choose between education & Allah’s commands. When Ireland’s govt changed the rules for police uniforms to allow hijab and Sikh turban, the Modi govt welcomed it.
So why double standards at home & abroad? Hijab and turbans of the uniform’s colours can allow being worn (sic),” he argued. He hoped that the petitioners would challenge this Supreme Court.