50 pc also want burkini, a swimsuit for women, prohibited
LAHORE: As calls to ban the burqa and niqab have reignited a debate on Islamic face veils in the United Kingdom, the British public has backed a ban on the Muslim dress by two to one, while almost half said the “burkini,” a swimsuit for women that covers the whole body except the face, hands and feet, should be prohibited, recent polls have suggested.
The UK does not have a ban on Islamic dress but schools can decide their own dress code and prevent students from wearing face veils. Prestigious British newspaper “The Independent,” has stated: “The findings come as a controversial ban on the burkini in France has stirred debate on the subject of Muslim clothing. Although the country's highest administrative court overturned the ban on the Islamic swimsuit on Friday, mayors have vowed to defy the ruling. The issue has been widely debated in Britain ever since France became the first European country to ban the burqa - the Islamic full-face veil - in 2011.”
The newspaper has gone on to write: “According to the YouGov survey, 57 per cent of respondents in the UK supported banning the veil in public places. The only age group to oppose a ban was the 18-24-year-olds, while all others were in favour, with the oldest 65+ group backing the prohibition by an overwhelming 78 per cent to 12. A majority of Conservative and the UK Independence Party (Ukip) voters backed a burqa ban (66 per cent and 84 per cent respectively). And while fewer than half of Labour (48 per cent) and Lib Dem (42 per cent) voters supported such a move, they still outnumbered those who opposed the ban (37 per cent and 30 per cent respectively).
“The Independent” has added: “Looking at attitudes to burkinis, 46 per cent of people were in favour of outlawing it while 30 per cent would oppose a ban. The British government said last week it would not introduce a ban on the Islamic swimsuit, saying it “sees no need” to dictate how people dress.”
Research shows that the ban on burqas has been imposed elsewhere in Europe, with Switzerland becoming the latest country to crack down on the clothing last month.
Countries that have already banned burqa:
According to the July7, 2016 edition of the “London Express,” France was the first country in Europe to ban Islamic face veils, such as the burqa and the niqab, in public places.
The media house had maintained: “The controversial ban took effect in April 2011 and made it illegal for Muslim women to leave their homes with their faces covered. Women can be fined for wearing a face veil, while anyone who uses threats and violence to forces a woman to wear a veil risks a €30,000 fine and a year in prison. In July 2014 the European Court of Human Rights upheld the ban. Belgium was the second European country after France to introduce a ban on full face veils, which outlawed the burqa and niqab in public areas. Women who cover their faces in public places like streets and parks can be fined and sentenced to up to seven days in jail. The ban came into effect in July 2011.”
The “London Express” had gone on to write: “The Dutch cabinet last year approved plans to ban the full face Islamic veil in government buildings, schools, hospitals and on public transport. The ban does not completely outlaw the veil in public, but forbids it in "specific situations where it is essential for people to be seen" or for security reasons.”
It further said: “The Egyptian government has drafted a bill to ban the niqab and burqa in public places and government institutions.
The legislation comes after Egypt's Cairo University banned academic staff from wearing the niqab in classrooms to make it easier to communicate with students.”
About the ban on burqa in Switzerland, the “London Express” had held: “A majority of the electorate in the Swiss region of Ticino voted in favour of a ban on face veils in public areas in 2013. The ban came into force in 2016. Muslim women who wear the veil in shops, restaurants or public buildings can be fined up to €9,200 (£7,890).”
About ban in Italy, it said: “Lombardy, the wealthiest region in Italy, approved a ban on women wearing the burqa in hospitals and local government buildings in December 2015. It was the first time an Italian region explicitly outlawed Islamic face coverings. Existing laws already prohibit helmets and clothing that make identification difficult in public.