As the Hijab controversy continues in India, there are a number of discussions going on in which people discuss if burqa and hijab are necessary in India. Pointing out to a number of countries such as Austria, Denmark, France, Belgium, Bulgaria, Netherlands, China, Sri Lanka, and Switzerland, people argue that the same should be banned in the country too. There are a number of reasons they bring it to our notice:
It is a symbol of oppression of Muslim women
Since historic times, burqas are considered as a symbol of Islamic oppression of women. Women in Islam were denied their right to education and they were just considered as a machine to please men and help in the process of making children, Burqas should not be a choice at all. People argue that women should be, of course, entitled to wear clothes of their choice, but not burqas.
Threat to National Security
Burqas and hijab have become a serious threat to national security whereas we can see a number of illegal activities being carried out hiding within this dress. Asking a woman to uncover their veil is considered ‘hurting their religious sentiments, however, this is the major advantage that anti-nationals make use of. There are many incidents where such security checks were questioned due to the same that gives the opportunity for criminals to escape the existing laws of the country.
Burqas are not a part of Islamic culture
Though religious fundamentalists argue that burqa and hijab are part of the Islamic faith, if we carefully examine, we can find it otherwise. Both these covering were made popular during the recent times and were not at all a part of Muslims in India too. Pick any picture from the 1940s when Muslim women actively participated in freedom movements; you won’t find women in hijabs or burqas. We didn’t have hijabs and burqas until Arabs got their influence with oil money. We don’t want Arabization.
Separation between men and women
The separation between men and women adds to the curiosity and adds to an attitude where women are considered rather as ‘property’. Just like eve-teasing is common in places where women have separate seats in public transport systems, burqa creates separation and often results in sexual violence too.
Burqa is often forced
The burqa is not a part of Islam but an element of Muslim culture and the distinction is important. In most parts of the country, burqa is forced, rather than a personal choice. There are millions of progressive women in Islam, however, it is often their family members who are radical Muslims who force women in their family to wear burqa. Often we can see Muslim men making this mandatory in order to ‘protect’ their wives from the eyes of other men. Every woman has a natural instinct of expression and forcing them to wear burqa is nothing but questioning their right.
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