Sheikh Shahid Burqa
Many countries across the globe have banned the full-face wearing veils like Burqa. While opponents of the ban term it as an attack on the freedom of an individual to wear a dress of her choice, on the other side the proponents justify the ban of liberating women from subjugation of conservative mindset.
Burqa or veil has been at a centre of debate for over a decade in western countries especially after former French President Nicolas Sarkozy issued a ban over it in his country for Muslim women. While this ban was condemned by many but in many countries of west, it was extended including in Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland and Chad.
The west while banning the traditional and religious dress of Muslim women justified that it does not only snatches the basic freedom of women but it also doesn’t allow a Muslim woman to integrate with the rest of people freely.
The France has, however, witnessed a spree of terror attacks on its soil for which the country off late blamed Muslim fundamentalists. Owing to such attacks which resulted into dozens of innocent killings, the voices for ban over religious attire grew louder.
As the dust seems settled in west and the ban is apparently an acceptable norm, the Island Asian country Sri Lanka has recently decided now to ban the controversial attire.
The ban was imposed by President Mithriapla Srisena on security grounds following the deadly terror attack on Easter Sunday last month. As many as 253 people got killed and more than 500 got injured in six suicide attacks.
The attacks were carried out by local terror outfit National Towheet Jama’at and ISIS and called for a national debate over the security situation in country. President Mithriapla Srisena, in wake of emergency has ordered to ban wearing of burqa by women in private and public places. All this, he said has been done to ensure the security of nation from both the internal and external threats.
Sirisena has ordered a ban on Burqa and Hijab as well that covers the whole body. The ban, which took effect on April 29, prohibits any face covering “that may hinder, conceal or hide one’s identify [from being] ascertained, and observes strictly such coverings as a potential security threat.
Last year Denmark has also ordered a ban on veil or Burqa.
In India, the rightwing extremist group Shiv Sena in its mouthpiece Saamana had also suggested a similar ban in India that evoked severe criticism. The Saamana in its editorial wrote that India shall also ban the burqa like in Sri Lanka.
The demand had come at a time when the country is in full election mode and could have potentially damaged its ally BJP’s poll prospectus across the country. The BJP retorted the demand and said that India has no such situation to impose the ban on this traditional dress of Muslim women.
Hundreds of Muslim women also took to streets in Mumbai and criticized the demand of Shiv Sena. The party later withdrew its demand and said that the article published in the newspaper is not the official position of party.
“If you want to bring a law banning burqa here (in India) and if it is someone’s view I have no objection. But before the last phase of election in Rajasthan, this government should announce a ban on the practice of ‘ghunghat’ (covering of the face by Hindu women) in that State,” Javaid Akhtar, noted writer and activist told reporters later.
“I feel that ‘ghunghat’ should go and the burqa should go. I will be happy,” he added.