Contending that wearing of hijab is not an essential religious practice, the State Government on Wednesday told the High Court of Karnataka that the petitioner Muslim girl students from the Government PU College for Girls, Udupi, had voluntarily signed the undertakings to adhere to the dress code and other disciplines of the institution like all other students when they were admitted to the college in August 2020.
“The petitioner students were following the dress code and they did not seek any exemption till December 2021. It is only in December last year that they unnecessarily raised the issue,” the Government stated in its written statement of objection opposing the petitions, in which five Muslim girl students of Udupi college have questioned ban on wearing of hijabs (headscarf) on the college premises.
