The French government on June 19 appeared divided over a proposal to ban the donning of the burqa, a loose outfit covering the whole body from head to toe and worn by Muslim women. “If it were determined that wearing the burqa is a submissive act, and that it is contrary to republican principles, well naturally parliament would have to draw the necessary conclusions,” Government Spokesman Luc Chatel was reported as saying. Chatel, who welcomed the proposal, has not ruled out the possibility of passing a law in this regard. Communist MP Andre Gerin is spearheading the drive to set up a parliamentary commission to look into what he described as a growing number of women donning the burqa in France. His proposal is backed by some 58 MPs, many of whom are from President Nicolas Sarkozy’s ruling Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) party.
The lawmakers are calling for a special inquiry into whether women who wear the burqa or the niqab undermine French secularism and women’s rights. It is expected to come up for a vote in the National Assembly soon. If the lower house agrees to set up the commission, it would draft a report to be released no later than November 30. Muslim community leaders say that burka remains a rare exception among France’s nearly seven million Muslims, the biggest Muslim minority in Europe. US President Barack Obama earlier this month criticised the French ban on hijab as a violation of personal freedoms.