Does our society have a mental block?

A burqa-clad woman kidnapped an infant from a civic hospital on October 15. The Shiv Sena, through its mouthpiece Saamna, has called for a ban on the veil citing security concerns. It has urged home minister RR Patil to formulate a law banning the burqa. DNA asked the common man and experts whether it is a publicity gimmick or there indeed is a valid security threat.

Expert view
Time for people to change attitudes
Political parties have a hidden agenda and can use any issue to gain publicity. The focus shouldn’t be on the fact that a burqa-clad woman kidnapped an infant, but on why children are being stolen from hospitals.

Parties like the Shiv Sena have a reputation of riding on issues which catch people’s attention. Also, no one has a right to tell anyone what or what not to wear. One cannot be judged by what he/she wears.

It’s about what options life gives them and how they exercise them. For instance, if a woman clad in modern clothes doesn’t have the freedom do whatever she wishes to, then how is she any different from a woman who is burdened by religion and customs?

Religious symbolism has a lot of significance in our country. We, as a society, have to get rid of our mental blocks. We have to change our attitude towards looking at certain things.
Lakshmi Lingam, dean, Research and Development, TISS

Part of our culture, cannot be replaced
Picking up isolated incidents and getting publicity out of it is nothing new for political parties. It’s not about targeting a section of society; it’s about garnering publicity. The burqa is currently one of the hottest topics of discussions, so some people are using it to gain publicity. Security is important, but banning the burqa is not the way to go about it. Religious or cultural symbols of identity cannot be replaced as they are part of our heritage and tradition. However, its use should be left to individuals. It cannot be forced on anyone.
Munavar Attari, Sr manager

Wearing a veil should be a personal choice
People can disguise themselves in any way — they don’t just have to wear a burqa to kidnap someone or commit a crime. So, why has the issue been raised now? The Shiv Sena does not have any morals or ethics. They will stoop down to any level to get the attention of the media and create a nuisance. In turn, they end up hurting the feelings of people of other castes/ religions. I don’t wear a burqa, but I think it is up to an individual whether to follow a religion or custom. It is a personal choice. A stray case of kidnapping shouldn’t be used as a justification for a ban on the burqa.
Samreen Samad, media professional

Improve security, don’t blame the burqa
I agree that the burqa is used by miscreants to steal newborn babies as well as to rob people, but this can be done using other things too. One can’t single out the burqa alone as the reason for the crime. We should think of improving our security. Even if we go to a mall, the security personnel just scan through our bags haphazardly. It’s not tough to hide anything in a bag. We should be more stringent in terms of security at public places. We need to have tight security systems at hospitals as child thefts are on the rise. Such a solution is more practical and sensible.
Shabnam Ansari, engineer

We need to find a long-term solution
I agree that the burqa is used by miscreants to steal newborn babies as well as to rob people, but this can be done using other things too. One can’t single out the burqa alone as the reason for the crime. We should think of improving our security. Even if we go to a mall, the security personnel just scan through our bags haphazardly. It’s not tough to hide anything in a bag. We should be more stringent in terms of security at public places. We need to have tight security systems at hospitals as child thefts are on the rise. Such a solution is more practical and sensible.
Shabnam Ansari, engineer

We need to find a long-term solution
Nobody has the right to make a statement which affects a person’s religious beliefs. We need to look at a long-term solution instead of banning articles. The kidnapping case was certainly an unfortunate incident. Such careless attitude should not be acceptable and hospital authorities should ensure that proper security is in place. We should learn from our mistakes. Such incidents will keep occurring if we just talk about security, but the ground reality is quite different. It’s important that all hospitals have a proper security system in place. 
Krishna Mohta, assistant manager