Omkar Dattatray
There is a great hue and cry over Burqa across length and breadth of nation. One fails to understand as to why there is so much noise and disturbance over the issue of wearing veil or Burqa by Muslim women. Enough unwarranted noise and heat has been created by the vested and selfish religious and political leaders which is a cause of big worry and concern for the countrymen. It seems that a planned conspiracy is being hatched by the narrow religious and political leaders who are hell bent to disturb the communal harmony in the country which is a very serious matter and it should not be allowed for the protection of the secularism and inter faith harmony. We should guard against forces who are trying to disturb the communal amity and mutual brotherhood. It is the moral duty of all of us to see and ensure that inter religious harmony is upheld and kept intact and in this direction we should work with sincerity. Ours is a multi religious, multi cultural and multi lingual society and there is unique diversity amid unity in the country and we should protect this unity in diversity which is the chief characteristic of the Indian nation. Nothing should be allowed to be done in the country which has the potential to disturb the peace and tranquility. These days the inimical forces are trying to disturb the peace and religious harmony and have thus made a mountain out of the mole hill. The private and personal issue of Burqa has been raised over a very trifle matter in a Karnataka school and it has been turned into pan India nature at the behest of the anti social elements. It is the irony of this country that each and every issue and even non issue is politicized at the altar of the secular democracy and this is a serious matter which concerns all of us. This time the non issue of Burqa has been raised and politicized by the selfish and vested religious and political leaders. Ours is a secular and plural democracy and nothing should be allowed to be done which will vitiate the religious harmony and inter faith unity. But by raising the issue of wearing of Burqa by Muslim women a dubious effort is made by some elements to disturb the communal amity and peace. Our society is a very sensitive one and there are the chances of disturbing the communal harmony by making efforts nefarious attempts to ruin the peace and tranquility although for a very short period because the responsible citizens work as a shield against the forces trying to disturb the communal harmony in the country. It is very unfortunate and unbecoming that these days the anti social elements are trying and conspiring to disturb peace and inter religious harmony and thus these forces trying to ignite communal fire in our multi religious society and this we should not allow being the responsible citizens. We are living in a secular country where religion is a private and personal affair and it nothing with the state. Our state is neither religious, nor irreligious, nor anti-religious but neutral in religious affairs and therefore state has to do nothing with religion of the people. Everyone in India is free to profess, propagate, practice and even embrace the religion of his or her choice and the state will make no distinction between different faiths in the social, political, cultural and employment and other development matters. It is very disturbing that efforts are being made to harm the secular credentials and ethos of this land and it is very unfortunate and it is the duty of all of us to guard against this tendency and allow the time tested secularism and tolerance to flourish so that the people belonging to various faiths will live and grow together. The constitution guarantees right to freedom of religion and faith to its citizens subject to peace, public order and health. Thus the religious freedom is not absolute but relative and so we should practice and propagate the religion subject to reasonable restrictions. All the religious faiths are free to eat dress and fallow the culinary habits as per their choice but this should not lead to any disturbance in the communal harmony. Muslim women are free to dress as they think fit and so they can wear veil or Burqa as per their religious injections. But then to enter the school in the religious dress is not allowed because it leads to distinction between the boys and girls belonging to various faiths. Every school has its dress code and uniform and the students are allowed to enter and study in the school only in the dress code of the particular school. The uniform dress code fosters the concept of equality which is a fundamental right under the constitution and therefore all of us should contribute towards equality and not do anything which has the potential to disturb peace and communal harmony. It is so sad that a trifle issue of wearing or not wearing Burqa has been allowed to snowball into a major controversy which can disturb the communal atmosphere in the country. The issue of wearing of the Burqa has spread to various parts of the country and the women are incited and provoked to stage unwanted demonstrations and protests in favor of the Burqa. There was no Burqa controversy during the last seventy five years of the independence but now this non issue has been raised to weaken the plural and secular fabric of the country. The Burqa issue and controversy is a big conspiracy of ‘Tukde Tukde’ gang to disturb peaceful religious harmony in the country. Forces working to disturb the peaceful communal amity should know and understand that responsible citizens of India will not allow them to harm peace and communal harmony at any cost because tolerance and respect for all religions is ingrained in the flesh and blood of the Indians. Thus any attempt to disturb the peace and tranquility is bound to fail as secularism and communal harmony and tolerance is very dear to Indians and so the time tested secularism and pluralism will not fail howsoever the anti-social elements may try. The secularism is the fait accomplice of India and no one will be allowed to harm the peace and communal amity in the country. We are living in the twenty first century and it is so unfortunate that we are falling prey to the forces of doom and are unnecessarily raking the futile issue of wearing of the Burqa which is a private affair and this should not be mixed with the public life. In this age of development and progress we should be concentrating on ways to grow and develop but alas we are only attending to the orthodox and conservative ways and raising useless issues which may harm the communal harmony in the country. Thus are the gullible masses and in the particular case of Burqa issue the Muslim women incited and provoked to protest in favour of the Burqa. One fails to understand as to who is objecting to the use of Burqa but only entering in the premises of the schools and collage in Burqa is not allowed as it fosters inequality and makes distinction between the students belonging to various faiths and thus should the dress code and uniform of the institution be respected for the fostering equality. There should be no distinction between the students belonging to different faiths and all the students should be allowed in the educational institutions in the proper uniform and dress code. Thus Burqa controversy and issue should not be allowed to impinge the secular and plural ethos of the land. In brief there is no place for hue and cry in the name of Burqa and this should stop at once for the interest of the peace and tranquility. Be assured that the responsible citizens will not allow anyone to disturb the communal harmony as tolerance and secularism are ingrained in the blood of the people.
(The author is a retired Educational Officer and Columnist).