While the Islamic world in general works itself up into another paroxysm of Rushdie Rage, in India the Rage Du Jour is Pratibha Patil Rage. She dared to criticize the veil, you see.
"Fury as presidential hopeful urges women to throw off ‘veil of invader,’" by Jeremy Page in the TimesOnline (thanks to all who sent this in):
The woman nominated by India’s ruling Congress party to become the country’s first female president was at the centre of a national furore yesterday after she urged Muslims to throw away their veils.Pratabha Patil appeared relatively uncontroversial when she was put forward by Congress last week for the largely ceremonial but symbolically important post. Seen as a moderate Hindu, the only criticism levelled at the 72-year-old governor of Rajasthan was that she lacked national stature.
By yesterday, however, Mrs Patil’s name was on the lips of Muslim leaders, who accused her of insulting Islam. Outraged by her comment that the veil has been imported to India by Muslim invaders, they are calling on Congress to ditch her and choose a more secular presidential candidate....
Mrs Patil, who is a member of Congress, made her remarks about the veil, or “purdah”, at a conference in Udaipur over the weekend. “Women have always been respected in the Indian culture. The purdah system was introduced to protect them from the Muslim invaders. However, times have changed. India is now independent and hence, the systems should also change,” she said.
“Now that women are progressing in every field, we should morally support and encourage them by leaving such practices behind.” Muslims make up nearly 14 per cent of India’s 1.1 billion people and many Indian Muslim women still wear headscarves and veils. Orthodox Hindu women also cover their faces before elderly male relatives although it is not an obligation of their religion.
Maulana Khalid Rashid, a member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, said God had asked women to wear the veil and that the tradition was enshrined in the Koran.
Yahya Bukhari, a member of the consultative committee of the Jama Masjid, Delhi’s largest mosque, called Mrs Patil’s remarks “anti-Muslim”.
“It is a purely religious matter and she has no right to interfere in matters of any religion,” he said. “Pratibha Patil is an educated woman but her statement reeks of ignorance.”
Maulana Mehmood Madani, general secretary of Ulema-i-Hind, another Muslim organisation, accused her of trying to rewrite history. “She must apologise and withdraw her observations,” The Times of India quoted him as saying.
I'm not sure whom I'd like to support in the American Presidential race, but my preferred candidate for President of India, I've just decided, is Pratibha Patil. Where do I get my bumpersticker, and my sign for the lawn?
This woman is unfit to be president of india. Educate people can be very supid. I than reading than book on the fall of frane in 1940, Reymond the premer of frane in march 1940 wanted to bomb the soviet union oilwell as saltin was given hilter oil from the well the british and french military said that was than supid idear. First it would have lead Saltin to declare war on England and French for than act of war 90% change. French and england bare have than enought manpower to hold the western front without stiring up touble with than other major power like the soviet union an once saltin declare war on England and France his defactor ally will be germany.
Assalamau Laikum all,
I am a muslima..but don't wear the veil....I only did it once at marriage...but never again and Anwer never asked me to ( and it probably would have been hard for him to persuade me).
The veil may simply have been to used to keep sand from blowing into the nose and mouth in the ME...later some mensfolk may have though it sexy to only see the eyes of womens...but wondering what beauty the face would hold beneath.
As the imam said...some believe that veil wearing is Allah SWT instructed...if he wants to believe that ...let him.
That said I think it is wrong for Patil to use the veil for political gain, she is deliberatly mixing politics & religion. It will be interesting to see if an apology will be coming shortly...I mean she is a hindoo after all...
And Yahya Bukhari, a member of the consultative committee of the Jama Masjid, Delhi’s largest mosque, who called Mrs Patil’s remarks “anti-Muslim," had better watch it. Hell hath no fury like a female presidential hopeful scorned.
...the times have changed indeed, Pratibha Patil is demonstrating good common sense. It is time for the people to move on to the 21st century and for some 7th century mandates to be abolished...Unless, of course, you are a diehard Muslim, much like the crazed, bearded, finger pointing Islamic clerics, who insist on the world returning to the dark ages of the 7th century...
...THe fact that the crazed , bearded, finger pointing Islamic clerics violently support 7th century rules as set down by a caravan raiding sexual pervert clearly shows Islam is for losers..Islam demeans peoples natural rise to advancement and change...Islam enslaves the bodies and minds of those within its grasp...
...Pratibha Patil is correct...it is time to change...
Naseem: That said I think it is wrong for Patil to use the veil for political gain, she is deliberatly mixing politics & religion.
In Islam, politics and religion are merged, so why shouldn't others recognize that fact, and act appropriately?
Ignorance, anti-muslim etc etc same old cack. I hope they all listen to her and quickly remove them, Is-sham uses them to cage women.
DEPORT ALL MUSLIMS NOW!!
Three cheers for Pratibha Patil. People here are having a hard time believing that a candidate nominated by the congress party will say anything anti-muslim. This party competes with the communists over here in seeking muslim votes. We over here are pleasantly surprised that she was not dropped by the party. The ummah is frothing at the mouth. From every islamized city there are fatwas coming out, though they have not yet dared to call for her death, she is a president hopeful, after all. As for the historians, yes they are correct too. The mughals might have started coming in the 1500s but the early islamic invaders came much, much before them.
BRAVO, to this brave lady she has more guts and backbone in saying this than the BJP leaders. There are still some islamofascist symbols and traditions in India which were adopted or forced upon hindus. This stupid "purdah" thing and other "modesty" traditions should belong in the dustbin of history along with the religion of the mad, crazed, pedophile , muhammed.
BRAVO, to this brave lady she has more guts and backbone in saying this than the BJP leaders. There are still some islamofascist symbols and traditions in India which were adopted or forced upon hindus. This stupid "purdah" thing and other "modesty" traditions should belong in the dustbin of history along with the religion of the mad, crazed, pedophile , muhammed.
“Women have always been respected in the Indian culture. The purdah system was introduced to protect them from the Muslim invaders. However, times have changed. India is now independent and hence, the systems should also change,”
I think this is a very healthy thing to say. Indian woman needed the purdah to avoid being "uncovered meat" when muslims ruled. Now India is boldly entering the modern world and does not need the purdah.
nice to find a 72 year old progressive.
If people don't like what this woman has to say, they can easily pack up and move across the border to either the paradise that is Bangladesh or that wonderland called Pakistan. Last time I heard India was still a democracy so the peaceful ones should have no trouble getting out.
How dare shew remind Hindus that they were invaded by Muslims!
Muslims never "invade", they only spread the glory of Allah.
Removing the heads of only those who cannot appreciate the honor.
Again, the veil is did not orginate in Arabia or with Mohammed, it was an import from Byzantium. Muslim women are not being "faithful" by wearing the veil. The veil is used as an instrument of repression.
Naseem:
The veil may simply have been to used to keep sand from blowing into the nose and mouth in the ME...later some mensfolk may have though it sexy to only see the eyes of womens...but wondering what beauty the face would hold beneath.
Or alternatively Naseem, the disappointment sets in and man decides that the rear end of his refridgerator is more beautiful. If there was no veil, then upfront, there is no disappointment and the women is better off as she may not know that she is no longer considered.
In any case, it is academic: the Quran, nowhere, specifies a veil. It just talks about moderation.
The woman nominated by India’s ruling Congress party to become the country’s first female president was at the centre of a national furore yesterday after she urged Muslims to throw away their veils.
Let's see our own woman presidential hopeful -- the wonderful Hillary -- issue a similar call to American moslems.
Don't hold your breath.
They tell our women to wear the veil, we tell theirs not to. What's the problem?
It is noticable that Hamas has just warned the Christians of Gaza that their women had better dress Islamically ... or else.
To digress (and this might get my comment removed) here's a little something I read in the comments of Up Pompeii:
What do you say to a Muslim woman with two black eyes?
Nothing - her husband already told her twice.
While I also applaud Pratibha Patil's remarks, we need to remember two very important facts. One: The President of India is a symbolic head of state and has very little power. Two: She is the nominee of the Congress Party who are usually dhimmis of the worst sort.
Now, if a Prime Minister from the Congress made such a remark it would be real news, but don't hold your breath. So let's not get too excited about this. Congress has not yet earned our support.
Don't care if Pratibha Patil is 27yrs or 72 yrs-this shows great courage when confronting Death Cult of Islam.
If only women leaders in Western World such as Angela Merkel,Hilary Clinton and Helen Clarke ever
spoke up about numerous crimes done to their Asian sisters it would be a wonderful step forward-but don't hold your breath! Here, Helen Clarke is 'avoiding' the Dalai Lama in case trade deal with China is declared 'off' by a Totalitarian Regime.
Hugh & Arjun
You are right. Until today, I had been rooting for Shekhawat - the current VP and former Chief Minister of Rajasthan - for this job. After reading this statement of hers, I've changed my mind.
Only thing - had I been her, I'd have waited to be elected before blurting this out. Prathiba-bai, yeh nantar bolaiche (You should have said this later)
Growing up in India, I wondered why literacy levels were so low among mulims. Specially, since Hindus place a such a high value on education, leadiing to knowledge. School going kids pray whole-heartedly to Godess Saraswati for knowledge. Atma (soul) is uplifted by two wings of Gnan (knowledge) and Karma (deeds); so says Bhagvad Gita. Then, I noticed that there is no (zero) emphasis on knowledge in Islam. The best Islam gets to is orating the Qur'an. Which, in a way, is n impedement to, not supportive of, true knowledge. Add to that the 'purdah' and a muslim woman has zero access to education. So now, it is so much easier to tell that illitrate muslim woman that Islam gives her all the rights (little does she know that, Islam or not, she should get ger basic rights) and that the 'purdah' is good for. Kinda self-serving of Islam.
Anyway, Pratibha Patil's call of liberation from the purdah is simple common sense, understandably an outrage in the Islam's bissar-o-world.
From the original article
Small problem with Satish Chandra's claims - in the 13th century, Muslim rule under the Mamluq dynasty was already well established in Northern India. So if the veil became widespread then, it would still have been due to Muslim (albeit pre-Moghul) influence.The article didn't state whether Patil made the claim that the Moghuls introduced the veil. Nor was B. P. Sahu specific about what he meant by early Indian society - whether it was 5th century or 13th.
Provoslavni
You are right - Congress doesn't deserve one's support, and there's a good chance that come next election, they won't get it. Of course, this election is one that only legislatures from all states get to vote on, and chances are that she'll sail through.
She is a little known sycophant of the Gandhi family, but if she's the only Indian woman to call on women to discard this medieval Islamic relic, all kudos to her. Note that she made this statement in Udaipur - one of the major cities of the Rajput province of Mewar, which was for most of India's history at the forefront of anti-Muslim resistance, so while there's a chance that she may have been playing to the gallery, she may also have been genuine about what she really believes.
"By yesterday, however, Mrs Patil’s name was on the lips of Muslim leaders, who accused her of insulting Islam."
What is meant by 'insulting islam' is anything questioning of it. Islam cannot stand up to scrutiny so it seeks to destroy all doubt (and those who raise it).
@Naseem
Why defend yourself against us filthy beasts ? (quran 8:55)
Since you are a racist, in the worst sense of the word, could you please have the decency to speak the truth ?
And please explain why you are allowed out of the house (quran 33:32-33) (and let's be clear : on the internet is out of the house, in the spirit of this "law" you supposedly follow). Clearly you should follow those verses and you're not seriously going to claim you don't understand what they're saying.