Network18 Exclusive | Nitin Gadkari on hijab row: All religions must be respected

"Some people go to masjid, some go to mandir, some to gurudwara, I always remember the song in RSS - Sanskruti sabki ek chirantan, purakhe jiske hindu hai, virat sagar Samaj apna, hum sab iske bindu hain. We are all part and parcel of one society, we should respect every religion, and we should make religious harmony between the society, between the people, we are Indians we are Bhartiya, we will fight for this nation and will make this national super-economic power - that is BJP’s thinking."

Meanwhile, all eyes are set on the three-judge bench of the Karnataka High Court, which will hear today afternoon the petitions questioning the ban on wearing of 'hijabs' (headscarves) by students in colleges.

Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court Ritu Raj Awasthi on Wednesday had constituted a full bench comprising Justice Krishna S Dixit and Justice Jaibunnisa M Khazi in view of the urgency to hear the matter.

Earlier on Wednesday, Justice Dixit, who was hearing the case, referred the matter to Justice Awasthi's consideration with a view that a larger bench may look into the case. Karnataka Primary and Secondary Education Minister B C Nagesh on Thursday expressed his satisfaction over the formation of a full bench to hear the case.

"The satisfying thing is that a full bench has been constituted immediately, which will start hearing from today. We expect a good judgement, which will put an end to this problem," the minister told reporters.

Nagesh added that he along with Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Home Minister Araga Jnanendra and Higher Education Minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan have been regularly holding meetings ever since the hijab row erupted.

Also Read: On Karnataka Hijab row, Congress, BJP take on each other. Who said what

Earlier, the Bengaluru police on February 9 announced a ban on all kinds of gatherings and demonstrations close to educational institutions for the next two weeks. As per the order issued by Bengaluru Police Commissioner Kamal Pant, "prohibitory orders" will remain in force in the radius of 200 metres around all schools and colleges in the city. "The order will be in force for two weeks starting today," it said.

Also Read: 'Refusing to let girls go to schools in hijab horrifying': Malala Yousafzai on Karnataka Hijab row

As per the prohibitory orders issued under Section 144 of CrPC, any gathering of five or more persons remain barred, and will draw penal action. The order comes a day after Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai announced the closure of all high schools and colleges in the state till February 12.