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Death Threats against Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court issued over Hijab Verdict, receive ‘Y’ category security

The ‘three-judge bench’ headed by Chief Justice Awasthi had ruled in favor of banning Hijab in educational institutions.

A case has been registered by Karnataka Police after a complaint by an advocate who had received a video in which a person was seen threatening Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, by referring to the killing of a Jharkhand judge who was murdered while on his morning walk.

The video further showed the person claiming that people know about the path that the Chief Justice takes for his walks. He also referred to CJs visit to Udupi Mutt with his family members and continued to use very offensive language towards the judgment.

The bench comprising of Chief Justice Awasthi along with Justice Krishna Dixit and Justice Khazi M Jaibunnisa had upheld the ban of hijab inside classrooms on the pretext that wearing a hijab was not an Essential Religious Practice (ERP) in Islam.

The verdict was supported by prominent advocates of the Supreme Court such as A. Sirajudeen who said, “Hijab is not an ERP nor a basic tenet of Islam, the state has the authority to impose reasonable restrictions on the practice of non-essential tenets in any religion in public places.” However, a certain section has found the verdict to be controversial and a direct attack on the Right to Life, Privacy and Culture. The video in question has been reportedly shot near Madurai region of Tamil Nadu. A number of complaints have been registered both in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

Meanwhile, with recent developments, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has issued instructions to provide ‘Y’ category security to all three judges on the panel. So far two people have been arrested in connection with the case and are said to be office bearers of the Tamil Nadu Towheed Jamaat (TNTJ). As per the police, many others have been booked and the police are on the lookout for the same.

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