Hijab row: Udupi Muslim girls say they will not go to college without hijab and fight it legally

The Udupi Muslim girls whose petitions seeking permission to wear Hijab inside the classrooms were dismissed by the Karnataka High Court said on Tuesday they will not go to college without hijab and fight the case legally till they get 'justice'.

They also claimed the verdict was 'unconstitutional'.

"We had approached the High Court seeking permission to wear hijab in the classrooms. The order has come against us. We will not go to the college without hijab but we will fight for it. We will try all the legal ways. We will fight for justice and our rights," one of the girls said in a press conference in this coastal town.

"The verdict which came today is unconstitutional...the constitution itself provides us (our rights) to follow my religion and whatever I can wear," the girl stated and also referred to a government order on February 5 banning any cloth that disturbed peace, harmony and public order on the campus.

According to them, the circular came only after they approached the HC.

If we are allowed to write exams, they need to allow us with hijab. Otherwise we will not attend classes. We will not go to college without hijab...," another student petitioner said.

"The constitution is good, but people who are running it are not. We are mentally traumatised," she said.

Accusing the government of 'creating an issue' by issuing a circular, the girls alleged it was done to create pressure.

"How much issue they made! Oh my God! They made an issue for all the colleges. They have denied education to all the girls. This was done to create pressure...," the girl charged.

"This is not a stay on hijab, this is a stay on our education. Dr B.R. Ambedkar would have cried today if he would have been alive and he would have sulked after seeing the plight," one of the girl maintained.

"We did not get justice regarding hijab. We expected to get our constitutional right. We will talk to our advocates and take a call in few days. We have not taken any decision yet" she said.

She reiterated that Hijab was an essential part of her religion.

With agencies inputs