High Court judgment on hijab: Muslims observe Karnataka bandh

Parts of Karnataka, especially the pockets where Muslim community members and traders dominate, observed a bandh on Thursday to protest against the high court judgement declaring wearing of hijab as not an essential religious practice in Islamic faith.

Traders from the Muslim community in Bengaluru's areas including Russel Market, Shivajinagar and Nagawara shut their shop in response to the bandh call given by Karnataka's Ameer-E-Shariat Maulana, or the religion's tallest leader in the state, Sagheer Ahmed Rashadi.

Parts of Mangaluru city, Raichur and Bhatkal observed total bandh in some pockets. The police, however, manned all sensitive areas. Sections of Muslim religious leaders decided to call for a bandh at a meeting in Bengaluru on Wednesday morning.

The community members stayed indoors in response to the call by their leaders that they don't step out to go to offices, schools, colleges, shops and other establishments. The Muslim leaders wanted their community members to participate voluntarily, and not force anyone who was not participating.

The high court on Tuesday upheld Karnataka government's notification dated February 5, 2022, asking students to wear only such uniforms as prescribed by the government, or their respective school or college managements. Sections of Muslim girls and others saw this as a ban on wearing of hijab to classes.