Pakistan expressed serious concern at the Indian court’s ruling, with the Foreign Office saying: “Equally sad is the fact that the judiciary in India, which is expected to act as a bulwark against dehumanisation, stigmatisation and discrimination against minorities, has completely failed to uphold the principles of justice and equality.”
“This decision marks a fresh low in the relentless anti-Muslim campaign where even the pretext of secularism is being weaponised to target Muslims,” the statement said.
“It is deeply concerning that the malicious trend of characterising Muslims as others or 20 per cent by prominent BJP leaders which is continuing with appalling impunity is now also being translated into decisions by the judiciary.”
The statement recalled that the discriminatory Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the grossly injudicious Indian Supreme Court judgement in the Babri mosque case were not distant memories.
Indian politicians and journalists criticised the court's decision, with many terming it a violation of fundamental rights and pointing out rising religious extremism in their country.
Occupied Jammu and Kashmir's former chief minister Omar Abdullah said he was "very disappointed" by the court's decision, pointing out that the matter was related to the right of a woman to choose how she wants to dress. "That the court didn't uphold this basic right is a travesty," he added.
Similar sentiments were expressed by another former chief minister of occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti, who said, "On one hand, we talk about empowering women yet we are denying them the right to a simple choice. It isn't just about religion but the freedom to choose."
Prominent Muslim lawmaker Asaduddin Owaisi also shared a 15-point long thread on Twitter, saying among other things, that the verdict "suspended fundamental rights to freedom of religion, culture, freedom of speech and expression".
"Not even other people of the same religion have the right to decide essentiality. It is between the individual & God. State should be allowed to interfere in religious rights only if such acts of worship harm others. Headscarf does not harm anyone," he said.
"Did the court have anything to say on the way Muslim women were bullied and heckled into taking off their hijabs? The way little girls were stopped from going to school until they took off their headscarves at the gate?" questioned NDTV's consulting editor Nidhi Razdan.Another journalist Shams Irfan expressed his fear over what would happen after the verdict, saying, "The judgment that is exclusive to schools and colleges will soon be implemented on the streets and public spaces by goons.
"That is what it was always about."Journalist Aarefa Johari commented that the issue was "always about targeting Indian Muslims, and now the court has joined in".
"#Hijab is a fundamental right, it's the question of bodily autonomy as much as it is a question of faith. The court stated uniform prescription supercedes fundamental rights. V disappointing judgement," said journalist Sumedha Pal.