In the dead tree version of Saturday's Telegraph there was an article by Henry Samuel about this subject, where he states French MPs claim the reason for this decision is because such clothing is degrading to women.
In a call that won support from senior figures in Mr Sarkozy's government, they demanded that a parliamentary commission considers the fate in France of the burka, where eyes are covered by a fabric mesh and the niqab which has an eye slit.
While France's Muslim Council said the proposal 'stigmatised' Islam, a commission is now expected to be established on the urging of the group of 65 politicians, led by Andre Gerin a communist politician. Many of the group are members of Mr Sarkozy's right-wing UMP party.
Mr Gerin is also mayor of Venissieux which has a high immigrant population and where he complains women cover themselves in 'mobile prisons.' "Our politicians need to stop acting so blind," he said, describing the burka as the mark of Islamic fundamentalism which was not in tune with secular France. A government spokesman said that all options were open, including a ban.
However Eric Besson, the immigration minister, said that France - home to five million Muslims - had already managed to 'strike a balance' between secularism and religious freedoms that it would be 'dangerous' to call into question. In 2004 the country passed a controversial law forbidding conspicuous religious symbols from state schools, including veils, which are banned in government offices.
Dalil Boubakeur, the rector of the Paris mosque, said he approved of a commission 'on condition that they listen to what the experts on Islam have to say". He said many women chose to wear the covering to assert their Muslim identity in a society which they believed was hostile to any type of Islamic headscarf.
Posts
