President Nicolas Sarkozy of France has said he believes that burqas are a symbol of women's subservience and debasement, that their use has nothing to do with religion, and that the country may consider introducing legislation to ban the garment.
Sarkozy's statement has set off a storm of protest from Muslims in France and around the world, with many decrying it as an infringement of personal rights.
Do you agree with Sarkozy, or do you think his critics are right?
Readers' comments:
Burqa can be a symbol of women's subservience and debasement if it is worn because of religious pressure. If one likes it and does it either for fashion or pleasure, it would be fine. Burqas are worn by women to keep them from exploitation. This is ridiculous and a clear sign of discrimination. Every individual has the right to wear clothes as per the norms of society. Nicolas Sarkozy makes a bold president but not a very prudent one.
Monday, July 6, 2009 22:08 IST
calistus, Mumbai
President Nicolas Sarkozy of France will burn in hell!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009 4:30 IST
Mubeen Ahmed, mumbai
Purdah/veil is the root cause of all evil. I have lived in Saudi Arabia and the men in Saudi Arabia take the purdah as licence for illicit relationships with women. They take women in purdah to five-star hotels as their wives. Nobody knows who the women actually are. There are no identity cards for women. They are only identified by their male escorts. So I think Muslim men want the purdah/veil to cover up their immoral activities.
Sunday, June 28, 2009 12:01 IST
chris, Bombay
This is in reply to Ijaz. He doesn't understand what Hindu religion is all about. Asking a woman not to enter the kitchen when she is bleeding means she is given a break from her day-to-day duties and provided much-needed rest during those days when her body is weak. Males take the responsibility in those days, doing the usual chores like cooking, etc. Muslims don't know about this as they are busy finding another girl to get their share of pleasure if their existing wife is bleeding. It is for this reason that Muslim men have the right to marry four times. This is prejudice and a symbol of subservience.
Can four Muslim men share a woman while a Muslim woman is forced to share her man with others? Ijaz, you will find one-in-a-million cases where a girl child in the womb is dumped, but what about Muslim men who sell their girl children for a fortune? Which is a symbol of subservience? Muslims have inculcated the belief in their daily lives that girls are second-class citizens and have no rights.
Sunday, June 28, 2009 11:56 IST
Krishna, bombay
I entirely agree with President Sarkozy. Societies that hide women behind burqas are backward looking. Women need to be educated and emancipated, not oppressed.
Saturday, June 27, 2009 21:47 IST
AP, Houston
