Nicolas Sarkozy is a ‘tagdaa manoos’ (strong man), says Bal Thackeray of Shiv Sena

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Sarko ‘tagdaa manoos’ for speaking on burqa

30 Jun 2009, 0410 hrs IST, Ambarish Mishra, TNN

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MUMBAI: Nicolas Sarkozy is a ‘tagdaa manoos’ (strong man), says Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray, because the French president spoke his mind on the burqa issue.

In a leader comment in Sena mouthpiece ‘Saamna’ on Monday, Thackeray, complimented Sarkozy for his “bold and courageous” comments that burqa was not a religious sign, but a sign of subservience. “It is heartening to note that Sarkozy has upheld his nation’s interests. He did not fall prey to the vote-bank politics,” said the Saamna editorial.

Thackeray said Sarkozy showed no consideration to the “regressive Muslim clergy” in his country. “He told the Muslim leaders in no uncertain terms that they will have to fully and completely adhere to the laws of France. India’s woes will end if we get someone like Sarkozy as our head.”

“Half of India’s leaders are in such poor health that we will have to look for proper space for their memorial,” the editorial said.

‘Saamna’ condemned Indian Muslim leaders for raising a bogey of ‘Islam khatre mein hai’ (Islam is in danger) every time the government makes an attempt to reform the Islamic laws. “Indian Muslim leaders will say that their religion is in danger even if Ajmal Kasab is sent to the gallows.”

Sarko ‘tagdaa manoos’ for speaking on burqa

30 Jun 2009, 0410 hrs IST, Ambarish Mishra, TNN

MUMBAI: Nicolas Sarkozy is a ‘tagdaa manoos’ (strong man), says Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray, because the French president spoke his mind on the burqa issue.

In a leader comment in Sena mouthpiece ‘Saamna’ on Monday, Thackeray, complimented Sarkozy for his “bold and courageous” comments that burqa was not a religious sign, but a sign of subservience. “It is heartening to note that Sarkozy has upheld his nation’s interests. He did not fall prey to the vote-bank politics,” said the Saamna editorial.

Thackeray said Sarkozy showed no consideration to the “regressive Muslim clergy” in his country. “He told the Muslim leaders in no uncertain terms that they will have to fully and completely adhere to the laws of France. India’s woes will end if we get someone like Sarkozy as our head.”

“Half of India’s leaders are in such poor health that we will have to look for proper space for their memorial,” the editorial said.

‘Saamna’ condemned Indian Muslim leaders for raising a bogey of ‘Islam khatre mein hai’ (Islam is in danger) every time the government makes an attempt to reform the Islamic laws. “Indian Muslim leaders will say that their religion is in danger even if Ajmal Kasab is sent to the gallows.”

Deoband mulls fatwa against French goods protest the anti-burqa comments of French president Nicolas Sarkozy

Deoband mulls fatwa against French goods
25 Jun 2009, Manjari Mishra, TNN
 
LUCKNOW: The Islamic seminary of Dar-ul-Uloom Deoband is contemplating a fatwa against buying goods made in France to protest the anti-burqa  comments of French president Nicolas Sarkozy.

Mufti Maulana Arshad Faruqui of Dar-ul-Ufba, the fatwa department of the seminary, said it would also call for a boycott of Sarkozy. “If necessary, an edict may be issued to all followers ordering them to shun French merchandise,” Maulana Faruqui said.

He said the comment was “one of the most shameful chapters of the mankind”. By labelling burqa, ‘naqab’ or ‘purdah’ as a symbol of female subjugation, the French president has “violated” the law of his own country, which guarantees its citizens the right to practice their religion unhindered, he added.

“The utterances are an evil ploy aimed at bringing disrepute to France.” Faruqui said the statement delivered in the French parliament reeks of a “conspiracy against Christianity too” as even Virgin Mary has always been painted or sculpted with her head covered.

France considering ban on burqas, spokesman says

France considering ban on burqas, spokesman says

Fri Jun 19, 2009

PARIS (Reuters) – France may introduce a law banning full burqas if a parliamentary commission finds the growing number of women wearing them have been coerced into doing so, a government spokesman said on Friday.

Nearly 60 legislators signed a proposal on Wednesday calling for a parliamentary commission to look into the spread of the burqa in France, a garment that they said amounted “to a breach of individual freedoms on our national territory”.

France, home to Europe’s largest Muslim minority, is strongly attached to its secular values and to gender equality, and many see the burqa, which covers the wearer from head to toe and hides her face, as an infringement of women’s rights and is increasingly being imposed by fundamentalists.

The country has been divided by fierce debates about how to reconcile those principles with religious freedom.

“If it was proved after this inquiry that burqa-wearing was forced, in other words that it contradicted republican principles, then naturally parliament would take all the necessary decisions,” Luc Chatel, who is the industry minister and government spokesman, said on France 2 television.

Asked about the possibility of a law, he replied: “Why not?”

President Nicolas Sarkozy has not yet spoken on the subject but promised to address the issue in a speech on Monday to members of parliament.

More than 40 legislators from his ruling centre-right party signed the proposal.

The deputies did not say how many more women were wearing burqas.

The legislators’ proposal echoed a controversy that raged for a decade in France about Muslim schoolgirls wearing headscarves in class. Eventually, a law was passed in 2004 banning pupils from wearing conspicuous signs of their religion at state schools.

France considering ban on burqas, spokesman says

Fri Jun 19, 2009

PARIS (Reuters) – France may introduce a law banning full burqas if a parliamentary commission finds the growing number of women wearing them have been coerced into doing so, a government spokesman said on Friday.

Nearly 60 legislators signed a proposal on Wednesday calling for a parliamentary commission to look into the spread of the burqa in France, a garment that they said amounted “to a breach of individual freedoms on our national territory”.

France, home to Europe’s largest Muslim minority, is strongly attached to its secular values and to gender equality, and many see the burqa, which covers the wearer from head to toe and hides her face, as an infringement of women’s rights and is increasingly being imposed by fundamentalists.

The country has been divided by fierce debates about how to reconcile those principles with religious freedom.

“If it was proved after this inquiry that burqa-wearing was forced, in other words that it contradicted republican principles, then naturally parliament would take all the necessary decisions,” Luc Chatel, who is the industry minister and government spokesman, said on France 2 television.

Asked about the possibility of a law, he replied: “Why not?”

President Nicolas Sarkozy has not yet spoken on the subject but promised to address the issue in a speech on Monday to members of parliament.

More than 40 legislators from his ruling centre-right party signed the proposal.

The deputies did not say how many more women were wearing burqas.

The legislators’ proposal echoed a controversy that raged for a decade in France about Muslim schoolgirls wearing headscarves in class. Eventually, a law was passed in 2004 banning pupils from wearing conspicuous signs of their religion at state schools.

Indo-Pakistani label in Paris murder angers expatriate Indians

“I take great offence at the use of the term “Indo-Pakistani community” to describe people who are purely Pakistani nationals,” said a caller who identified himself as Naresh.

The Indian community is completely separate from the Pakistani community and the two have nothing in common. We belong to different sovereign countries.”

“Indo-Pakistani” label in Paris murder draws expatriate ire
Vaiju Naravane
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“Paksitanis are giving us a bad name”, say Indian expatriates

The term is meaningless and its use is unfortunate, says journalist
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Paris: French police arrested six Pakistanis, including one woman, after the killing of a French off-duty policeman late Saturday in the Paris suburb of Courneuve. The policeman’s service revolver was found near the garbage bins of the building in which the six Pakistanis live.

However, media — including newspapers, radio and television — citing police sources identified the six arrested people as belonging to the “Indo-Pakistani community”, a term which has angered the Indian community here.

Angry calls
As a result, The Hindu’s office in Paris was flooded with angry calls from the Indian community. “I take great offence at the use of the term “Indo-Pakistani community” to describe people who are purely Pakistani nationals,” said a caller who identified himself as Naresh. “It would be the same if a French or German person arrested in India were to be referred to as belonging to ‘Franco-German or Franco British community’ simply because the two countries happen to be neighbours. The Indian community is completely separate from the Pakistani community and the two have nothing in common. We belong to different sovereign countries.”

A woman caller said: “The Pakistanis here are giving us a bad name. They are involved in all kinds of trafficking and it is suspected that this policeman was in some way linked to an extortion racket with those arrested. We should not be lumped with the Pakistanis simply because we come from roughly the same geographical area.”

Gilles Poux, Communist Mayor of Courneuve, was quoted as saying: “There appeared to be a quarrel between people belonging to the Indo-Pakistani community. Many shops in this busy locality have been bought by members of this community.”

Police authorities in France could not be reached and this reporter was sent back and forth between police headquarters in Paris and La Courneuve.

When contacted, the Indian embassy said it would be taking up the matter with the French Interior Ministry.

Stephane Sellami, a journalist from the Le Parisien newspaper told The Hindu: “I agree the term ‘Indo-Pakistani’ is meaningless and its use is unfortunate. But there seems to be some confusion as to the exact origin of the six arrested persons. Fresh reports indicate that they might be from Sri Lanka. But we have no confirmation yet. The paper has used the term in order to give our readers an idea of the general geographical area to which the suspects belong. But I agree it is not satisfactory and we shall make changes to the copy.”

The circumstances of the policeman’s death remain mysterious and authorities are looking into why the man was in the locality in civilian clothing on his day off while carrying his service revolver.

“The arrested persons are not dangerous criminals. They come from the Sri Lankan or Pakistani milieu and often engage in commercial fraud,” Frederic Lagache, an official from the Alliance policemen’s union told AFP.

Cuisine link
The term “Indo-Pakistani” was coined in France by Pakistani restaurant owners wishing to take advantage of the fame of Indian cuisine. That term has now been extended to the entire sub-continental community encompassing Indians, Pakistanis and Sri Lankans, much to the annoyance of Indians who say both the Sri Lankans and the Pakistanis engage in illegal activities, giving them a bad name.