Many shops in different parts of Karnataka state (southern India) continue to close their doors for the third consecutive day after a decision of the state's Supreme Court issued on Tuesday to ban headscarves in government educational institutions.

Indian activists monitored the closure of a large number of stores in Karnataka, to express the rejection of the Supreme Court's decision to ban the wearing of headscarves in government schools, which raised the concern of Muslims who organized protests condemning this matter.

The closure of shops was recorded in major cities in the southern state, such as Bangalore, Mangaluru, Mysore, Mandaya and other areas.

Mangalore City


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protests

Several districts in Karnataka witnessed student protests following the issuance of the judicial decision, and student demonstrators chanted phrases in support of “the right to choose and freedom of worship.” A group of Muslim students and activists also petitioned to challenge the decision, which claimed that “the veil is not one of the Islamic constants.” The court responded by postponing the response to the petition.

Opponents of banning the headscarf in public schools say it is another way to marginalize Muslims, who make up 13% of India's 1.35 billion population.

In parallel with the decision of the Supreme Court, the Karnataka state administration banned gatherings in its capital, Bangalore, between 15 and 19 March, under the pretext of maintaining public order and stability.

the beginning

The controversy over the headscarf in India began when, last January, Muslim women were prevented from entering their classes at a government college in Udupi in Karnataka because they were wearing the veil, which was later repeated in other colleges in the state.

The dispute resulted in the outbreak of demonstrations in various places in India during the past weeks in protest against the anti-hijab campaign, at a time when more schools in the state announced a ban on the headscarf, and Hindu extremist groups organized counter-demonstrations.

And Reuters reported on Thursday that Hindu hard-line groups are calling for restrictions on wearing the headscarf in classrooms in more Indian states, after the judicial decision in Karnataka, which was welcomed by prominent federal ministers in the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, who said that there should be no Students are required to wear religious clothing in classes.