Sunday, July 20, 2008

Citizenship denied to veiled muslim woman.

The case started quietly, when a Muslim woman who sheaths herself in a head-to-toe veil was denied French citizenship because she had not assimilated enough into this society. France's highest body upheld the decision, and politicians across the spectrum agreed it was the right move.
A few dissenting voices, though, are now questioning whether the decision pushed France's secularist values too far.
"Where does it begin or end? What we are calling radical behavior?" asked Mohammed Bechari, president of the National Federation of French Muslims. "Will we see a man refused citizenship because of the length of his beard ... or a man who is dressed as a rabbi, or a priest?"
On June 27, France's highest administrative body, the Council of State, ruled that the woman, identified only as Faiza X, had "adopted a radical practice of her religion incompatible with the essential values of the French community, notably with the principle of equality of the sexes, and therefore she does not fulfill the conditions of assimilation" listed in the country's Civil Code as a requirement for gaining French citizenship.
But critics accuse the French justice system of breeding fear and intolerance of Islam under the guise of upholding secularism. The country is home to western Europe's largest Muslim population, estimated to be at least 5 million of the nation's 63 million people — and growing.
I wonder why the world has such negative outlook towards the muslim community , just coz of the few groups that have now brought bad name for the whole of community , as for the women - the western world think if a woman does hijab or is veiled , its forcefully imposed on her , which on the contrary is done by themselves willingly with their own choice as per the religion's requirements.

2 comments:

mummyjaan said...

I missed this news story; do you remember where it appeared? Just curious.

Fatima Mirza said...

well this particular news had come in the times of india , i am not very sure about the date but i think u can search on google an you will find it.