Hyderabad, Aug 27: AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on August 26 launched a broad attack on the Allahabad High Court’s ruling rejecting a minor student’s plea to wear a hijab with her school uniform, describing the judgment as an infringement of constitutional protections while also invoking the legacy of freedom fighters imprisoned in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands during a speech in Hyderabad.
Addressing a Jalsa-e-Rahmatul-lil-Alameen gathering at the AIMIM headquarters in Darussalam, Owaisi said he disagreed with the High Court’s decision and argued that it violated Articles 25 and 19 of the Constitution. He questioned the court’s authority to determine what constitutes an essential religious practice in Islam and said girls wearing a hijab did so as an expression of faith.
His remarks came after the Allahabad High Court observed on August 26 that the petitioner had not produced any religious scripture or other material to establish that wearing a scarf formed an essential part of her religion, without which her faith would be adversely affected. The court also noted that photographs placed on record showed other students from the same religious community attending the school without wearing scarves.
Referring to pending proceedings before the Supreme Court in the Sabarimala matter, Owaisi questioned whether the High Court should have delivered such a ruling while the issue of essential religious practices remains under judicial consideration.
The AIMIM chief also criticised the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Bharatiya Janata Party, alleging that the organisations historically favoured the Manusmriti over the Constitution adopted on November 26, 1949. He referred to an article published on November 30, 1949, in an RSS publication, claiming it had criticised the Constitution drafted under the leadership of B.R. Ambedkar.
Highlighting the Andaman and Nicobar Islands during his address, Owaisi contrasted the imprisonment of Hindutva ideologue V.D. Savarkar in the Cellular Jail with that of Muslim freedom fighters. He alleged that Savarkar had written letters to the British authorities seeking release, while Allama Fazl-e-Haq Khairabadi endured imprisonment without seeking concessions. Owaisi said Khairabadi’s grave in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands stands as a reminder of that history.
He also claimed that Hyderabad’s Maulvi Alauddin, Imam of Mecca Masjid, was the first prisoner sent to the Andaman Cellular Jail, addressing the remark directly to the BJP and RSS.
Owaisi further criticised the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code in Uttarakhand, Assam and Gujarat, questioning whether laws derived from existing Hindu personal laws could be regarded as a truly uniform civil code applicable to all communities.
Concluding his address, Owaisi said Indian Muslims would remain committed to their faith while contributing to the country’s progress. He stated that they would continue to protect India and work towards making the country a superpower, while remembering the sacrifices of freedom fighters, including Turrebaz Khan, during the independence movement.
