Karnataka: Judges Who Pronounced Verdict in Hijab Row Get Y-Category Security After Life-Threatening Messages

Karnataka Hijab Row: Earlier last week, the three-judge bench of the Karnataka High Court dismissed various petitions challenging a ban on Hijab in educational institutions and said that wearing a hijab is not an essential practice of Islam. 

New Delhi: Three judges of the Karnataka High Court, who upheld the ban on hijab in the state’s educational institutions, will be given Y-category security, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai announced on Sunday. The three judges include— Chief Justice Ritu Awasthi, Justices Krishna Dixit, and Khazi M Jaibunnisa.

“We’ve decided to give ‘Y’ category security to all three judges who gave the Hijab verdict. I have instructed DG and IG to probe the complaint filed in Vidhana Soudha PS thoroughly in which some people gave life threats to the judges”, news agency ANI quoted CM Bommai as saying.

We've decided to give 'Y' category security to all three judges who gave the Hijab verdict. I have instructed DG and IG to probe the complaint filed in Vidhanasoudha PS thoroughly in which some people gave life threats to the judges: Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai in Bengaluru pic.twitter.com/cQxFyfcfOL

— ANI (@ANI) March 20, 2022

The Chief Minister’s announcement comes after lawyer Umapathi S claimed he has received a message on WhatsApp wherein a man can be seen giving an ‘open threat to kill’ Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi. Speaking exclusively to NDTV, the lawyer said,”I was shocked to see the video and its content. That’s why I immediately approached the (high court) Registrar.”

Meanwhile, two people have been arrested in connection with issuing death threats to the judges. While Kovai Rahamathulla was arrested from Tirunelveli, S. Jamal Mohammad Usmani was taken into custody from Thanjaur. Both the arrests took place on Saturday night.

The accused are office bearers of the Tamil Nadu Towheed Jamaat (TNTJ). Police sources said that several persons have been booked in this connection.

Earlier last week, the three-judge bench of the Karnataka High Court dismissed various petitions challenging a ban on Hijab in educational institutions and said that wearing a hijab is not an essential practice of Islam.