Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Mar 16: The dispute created initially by six girl students of the government girls PU college here who insisted on wearing the Hijab when attending classes, appeared to have been resolved with the Karnataka high court pronouncing its judgement in the case. However, the controversy is far from over.

Four girl students from the district have decided to challenge the high court order in the Supreme Court (SC), and the district Muslim union will extend support to this legal battle, said legal advisor of the union, Hussain Kodibengre.

While many Hindu organizations and the BJP have welcomed the judgement of the three-judge bench of the high court, Muslim leaders and several of their organizations have expressed unhappiness. At the same time, Udupi government girls PU college development committee president and MLA K Raghupati Bhat, has asked the students to attend classes without Hijabs, adding that those who are not satisfied by the verdict have the option to go to the Supreme Court.

Vice president of the above committee, Yashpal Suvarna, termed the judgement as the victory for legal fight undertaken for orderly education. BJP district president Kuilady Suresh Nayak who welcomed the verdict termed it as the victory of the constitution.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, the students who are peeved by the judgement said that Hijab is mandatory and that it is mentioned in the Holy Quran. They said they want both Hijab and education. President of the district Muslim Union, Ibrahim Saheb Kota, said that they are unhappy with the observation of the high court that the Hijab is not a religious compulsion and that preparations are afoot to take the matter to the SC.

In the meantime, security around the schools and colleges has been beefed up from Wednesday as classes and examinations are in progress.