Hijab Row: People Of All Faiths Should Accept School Dress Code, Says Amit Shah

Hijab Row: At present, the matter is in the High Court of Karnataka. Till the completion of the hearing on the matter, the court has barred Muslim women from entering educational institutions wearing hijab.

New Delhi: Amid the ongoing row over wearing hijab in the country, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday has asked people of all religions to follow the dress code of schools. 

In an interview given to news channel Network18, Amit Shah said the matter of faith should be kept separate from educational institutions.

“It is my personal belief that people of all religions should accept the school’s dress code. And the issue is now in court, and the court is conducting its hearings on the matter. Whatever it decides should be followed by all,” the Home Minister said.

As the daily hearing on the issue of hijab is going on in the Karnataka High Court, Shah said that the matter is still in the High Court. He said that whatever is the decision of the court should be accepted by all. 

“Ultimately, it has to be decided whether the country will function on the Constitution or whims. My personal belief only remains until the court makes a decision. And once the court makes a decision, then I should accept it, and everyone should accept it. But, I still personally believe that every student should function according to the dress code and uniform mandated by the school,” Shah told Network18.

When Shah was asked about the involvement of Campus Front of India on the issue, he said, "These people may have their active involvement, but I’ll just say that their intentions will not come to fruition. The people of India will accept the court’s judgement once it comes".

Arguments are constantly being made in the court in favour and against wearing hijab in educational institutions in Karnataka. Earlier, during the hearing, the state government had told the High Court that in its Government Order (GO) dated February 5, the hijab was not banned. The state government said that only the College Development Committees (CDCs) have been given the right to decide the dress of the school.

Earlier, in view of the hijab controversy in educational institutions, a full bench of the High Court comprising Chief Justice Awasthi, Justice JM Khaji, and Justice Krishna S Dixit had passed an interim order. In this, the students were barred from wearing the hijab till the final order was passed.