why do hijabs and niqabs bother folks so much? I simply dont understand. I mean its ok to walk around naked ( A lot of clothes some people wear can be seen as no clothes) yet hijab/niqab is not ok.
ROME, June 6, 2005 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – Italian politicians and Muslim leaders have reacted angrily to statements by a minister from the anti-immigrant Northern League (LN) that Muslim women covering their faces in public should be fined.
“Northern League ministers are … feeding a culture of fear and defensiveness against migrants of Islamic origin,” Paolo Cento, vice chairman of the parliament’s justice committee was quoted as saying by Reuters.
Justice Minister Roberto Castelli said any Muslim woman covering her face in public should be reported to police and fined.
“To go around with your face covered is a crime, you can’t do it,” he told reporters.
“Women who do so must be reported to the police and fined.”
The local prefect has quashed fines imposed last year on an Italian revert to Islam from nearby Drezzo, who wears a niqab.
Two other women have been fined for wearing the garment elsewhere.
Fanning hysteria
Italian opposition politicians demanded the resignation of Castelli and other Northern League ministers, whose party has come to be defined by its anti-immigrant rhetoric, according to Reuters.
They accused the minister of fanning hysteria, noting that his comments were irrelevant because it was rare to see a woman dressed in a niqab on Italian streets.
The controversial remarks also drew fire from leftwing parties.
Marco Rizzo of the Communist party said they were “at the threshold of incitement to racial and religious hatred”, reported The Guardian.
Fine u hav the right to wear niqab wherever u want, but dont cry discrimination coz they wont giv u adrivers license coz u think it’s “haram” to show ur face. There’s nothign wrong wit hijab, headscarf, but a niqab just calls too much attention. The whole point of hijab is to conceal urself, to not stand out in a negative way. Well, isn’t showing ur eyes thru teeny lil slits and wool gloves in teh summertime calling out for attention?