The secular republic of France has finally banned the burkah.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy states the ban is meant to enhance secularism in France. He also stated that such veils imprison women and banning them is a step towards improving gender quality.
Anyone caught wearing it, would be heavily fined, jailed and even imposed for mandatory education about French citizenship.
I wonder, how this law will be enacted, taking into consideration that there are 2000 Muslim women in France who wear Burkah.
At the same time, does it really ensure that women who are forced to wear burkah by their husbands/ families will get independence? A family, who is so conservative, will not even allow them to openly go out in public.
Thus, if religious fanatics are being targetted, the law still has several loopholes.
This ban has come into action after 14 months of debate, six months of deciding period and at least, passing of nine pages long circular.
With this censorship, France becomes the first country in Europe to ban the face veil which has a religious importance in the Islamic culture.
Similar measures are being discussed in other European countries such as Italy, Spain, Switzerland and Netherlands, but they are yet to be enacted in the legislature.
Coincidentally, this measure for enacting the ban started in 2010, on the eve of the Bastille Day that had marked the beginning of the French Revolution of 1789, supporting the birth of Declaration of the Rights of Man, respecting the importance of human rights.
Very sarcastic conicidence.
This restriction, however, is receiving mixed responses from both national and international platforms.
Hamman Saeed, the leader of Jordan’s Muslim brotherhood stated that the ban of the Islamic veil represents a war on Muslims.
Emmanuel Roux, the deputy chief of the French police Union has already stated that the law would be infinitely hard to enforce.
Few Muslim leaders in France have stated that Islam does not promote the wearing of veil but few of them have stated their distaste towards the ban.
Ramin Mehmanparast, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson in Tehran stated that the ban would not lead to positive results.
Turning to hard core feminists, the ban itself has yet again caused another debate.
Katha Pollitt, the American author states in her article ‘Veil of Fears’ that ‘I don’t like face-veiling either. It negates the individual; it reduces women to sex objects who must be shrouded to avoid tempting men; it sends the message that men’s “honor” resides in the bodies of “their” women.’
But she also suggests, ‘Why not just leave veiled Muslim women alone, except where there’s a legitimate state interest in verifying their identity? They’ve got enough problems as it is.’
While Salma Yaqoob, who is a Birmingham city councilor and former vice chairman of the Respect Party stated that ‘Only because you are fearful, scared or do not like women wearing a face veil, does not give a right to impose such restrictions.’
She calls the ban as an abuse of state power.
While, Mona Eltahawy, an award winning columnist and an International public speaker on Arab and Muslim Issues stated that ‘The ban is not about Islam, west or democracy.’
She stressed that the face veil does not support women empowerment and has a very dehumanising effect.
Barkha Dutt, the managing editor of New Delhi Television from India states ‘As a feminist, a veil enforced by the weight of orthodoxy bothers me but as a multiculturalist, I don’t think Sarkozy has a right to police it.’
Though, those defending the ban state that they are doing so, to promote the visibility of Muslim women in Europe. Hence, the ban should not be seen as a means to target Islamic values.
As human face forms an integral part of social communication, this ban would supposedly help in keep multiculturalism and community communication intact by giving more presence to women.
According to me, the ban on burkah is wrong.
Whether or not to wear a burkah, is completely the discretion of a woman. Whether she is empowered by it or dehumanised by it, should be a choice, rather than a law. I oppose the ban, completely.
shubhdachaudhary 