Owaisi slams Allahabad High Court hijab verdict, calls it ‘attack on Islam’

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi criticised the Allahabad High Court's hijab verdict, calling it an “attack on Islam”. He also attacked the RSS and BJP over the Constitution and Manusmriti, questioned the Uniform Civil Code and reaffirmed Muslims’ commitment to India.

Hyderabad: AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi has strongly criticised the Allahabad High Court’s decision dismissing a petition filed by a minor student from a school in Prayagraj, who had sought permission to wear a hijab along with the prescribed school uniform.

Addressing a grand Jalsa-e-Rahmatul-lil-Alameen gathering at the AIMIM headquarters in Darussalam on Tuesday, Owaisi described the court’s verdict as an “attack on Islam” and questioned whether the High Court should have delivered such an order. He said that the Sabarimala case remains pending before the Supreme Court, where the issue of essential religious practices is being considered.

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“I disagree with this High Court judgment; I do not concur with it… Today’s verdict violates Articles 25 and 19 of the Indian Constitution. Who are you to decide what is essential to Islam? Girls are wearing hijab on their heads, not on their minds. It is an attack on Islam,” he said

On Tuesday, the Allahabad High Court observed that the petitioner had failed to produce any religious scripture or other material establishing that wearing a scarf was an “essential” part of her religion, without which her faith would be adversely affected. The court also pointed out that photographs submitted in the case showed other students belonging to the same religious community attending school without wearing scarves.

Owaisi also launched a sharp attack on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alleging that the organisations had historically shown a preference for Manusmriti over the Constitution of India.

“I am asking those associated with the RSS about Manusmriti. Is it not true that on November 26, 1949, we adopted the Constitution? However, four days later, on November 30, a mouthpiece of the RSS published a complaint against it, stating that it ‘wasn’t a Constitution at all and it should have been the Manusmriti’. They had issues with the Constitution drafted by Babasaheb Ambedkar,” Owaisi said.

The AIMIM President further targeted Hindutva ideologue V.D. Savarkar, drawing a comparison between his conduct during his imprisonment in the Andaman Cellular Jail and that of Muslim freedom fighters who endured imprisonment without seeking concessions from the British.

“Savarkar supported Manusmriti. While imprisoned in Andaman, he was writing letters to the British, saying, ‘I am with you, please release me’. On the other hand, what were we (Muslims) doing? Allama Fazl-e-Haq Khairabadi was also in jail; he endured hardships but never wrote a ‘love letter’ to the British. Instead, he issued a fatwa for Jihad against them. Even today, his grave stands in Andaman as a testament,” he asserted.

“Listen, BJP and RSS people, who was the first prisoner in Andaman? It was not your father or grandfather. It was Hyderabad’s Maulvi Alauddin, the Imam of Mecca Masjid. He was the first prisoner,” Owaisi told the gathering.

Speaking about the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in Uttarakhand, Assam and Gujarat, Owaisi questioned whether laws based on existing Hindu personal laws could genuinely be described as a uniform code applicable to all communities.

“Uniform Civil Code has been implemented in Uttarakhand, Assam and Gujarat. But if the laws being enforced are essentially based on provisions of the Hindu Marriage Act, Hindu Divorce Act and Hindu Succession Act, then how can they genuinely be called a Uniform Civil Code? Why should these laws be imposed on Muslims when they are rooted in Hindu personal laws?” he said.

Owaisi further asserted that attempts to separate Muslims from their religious beliefs would not succeed and said that those who follow Islam would continue to adhere to the Quran and Sunnah.

“Remember, attempts to distance us from our faith will, Insha Allah, fail. Those who profess faith in Islam will continue to follow the teachings of the Quran and Sunnah. We will not abandon our Deen,” he said.

The AIMIM chief also emphasised his commitment to India, stating that Muslims would continue to protect the country while remaining committed to their faith and contributing to India’s development.

“We love this country, we will protect this country, and while remaining committed to our faith, we will work to make India a superpower. India’s freedom struggle also belongs to those who sacrificed their lives for the country, including freedom fighters like Turrebaz Khan. Their sacrifices must not be forgotten,” he added.