Indian Court Upholds Hijab Ban in Classrooms

An Indian court has upheld a ban against wearing the hijab in classrooms in the southern state of Karnataka, weeks after the issue sparked confrontations outside campus gates and stoked religious tensions. Delivering its verdict on Tuesday, the Karnataka High Court ruled that hijabs -- Islamic headscarves -- didn't constitute a part of "essential religious practice in Islamic faith." It dismissed petitions filed by Muslim students who had been barred from attending classes.