Karnataka to boost security for justices who gave hijab verdict

Following death threats to the three Karnataka High Court justices who delivered the hijab verdict, and arrest of a person in Tamil Nadu in this regard, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday said his government has decided to provide 'Y category' security to them.

Stating that his government has taken the matter seriously, he ordered the director general of police to look into the case and take the person arrested in Tamil Nadu into custody for investigation, and questioned the silence of "pseudo seculars" on the matter.

A FIR was registered by Vidhana Soudha Police on Saturday against an unknown individual over a video clip circulating on social media platforms of a man speaking in Tamil and issuing death threats to the three justices.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, he said everyone should obey the verdict of the judiciary and there is every opportunity in the system for appeal.

Noting that a case has been booked in Tamil Nadu, and also an FIR has been registered at the Vidhana Soudha police station based on the complaint from the Karnataka Bar Association, the chief minister said his government has taken it very seriously and that he has ordered the DGP to get the case investigated.

According to official sources, Tamil Nadu police arrested an office-bearer of an organisation called Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamaat (TNTJ) in Madurai on Saturday for allegedly issuing death threats to judges.

The person identified as Rahamathulla, in a veiled threat, has referred to a district judge in Jharkhand being mowed down by a vehicle during his morning walk last year, they said.

A three-justice bench—Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Justice Krishna S. Dixit and Justice J.M. Khazi—had on March 15 dismissed petitions filed by a section of Muslim girl students, seeking permission to wear hijab inside the classroom.