Shiv Sena mouthpiece urges PM to ban burqa, party says not official stand

Referring to the PM’s scheduled visit to Ayodhya on Wednesday, the editorial states: “It (the ban) has happened in Ravana’s Sri Lanka. When will it happen in Ram’s Ayodhya?”

It further states that a country liberated from the LTTE’s terror has now become a victim of “Islamic terror”. “(The) Jammu and Kashmir region in India is affected by the same Islamic terrorism. Now, the only question is, when will we take strong steps (that has been) taken by countries such as Sri Lanka, France, New Zealand and Britain?”

Stating that several instances of burqas or veils being used for terror attacks have come to light, the editorial in Saamana also pointed out that a ban was enforced on beards for men and burqas for women in Turkey, an Islamic country, when Kemal Pasha suspected that veils were being used for anti-national activities.

The mouthpiece further claimed that many Muslims have not understood the true meaning of their religion and have mixed the religion with societal practice. “If anybody raises a voice about their societal practice, then it is being seen as an attack on religion. For example, if anybody opposes polygamy, triple talaq and burqa, or talks about compulsory family planning, then there are cries that Islam is in danger. ‘Religion first and nation later’ seems to be the Muslim community’s priority,” it said, while noting that the current dispensation has enacted a law against triple talaq in a bid to prevent exploitation of Muslim women.

Pointing that there have been no people like Mahatma Jyotirao Phule or Shahu Maharaj (social reformers in Maharashtra) in the Muslim community, the editorial said: “So, it has worked in favour of whimsical leaders such as Shahabuddin, Azam Khan, Owaisi brothers and Abu Azmi. If such religious practices and traditions are coming in the way of national security, then they must be ended. Modi needs to do all this. It is an equally courageous work, like the surgical strike,” it stated.

Later in the day, the party, however, distanced itself from the demand. “It is not the party’s official stand. Shiv Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray had repeatedly spoken about the burqa ban in the past. The BJP, too, had made the demand in the past. In the Saamana editorial, I have analysed the issue in wake of the burqa ban decision announced in Sri Lanka,” Sanjay Raut, executive editor of Saamana and Shiv Sena MP, said.

Raut also added that as elections were over in Maharashtra, the editorial cannot be seen as a violation of the model code of conduct.