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| Pratibha Patil's 'purdah' plight causes fright | | |
BL KAK
NEW DELHI, JUNE 20: The ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) has suddenly been thrown into confusion, with the storm kicked up by Pratibha Patil, Presidential nominee, among Muslim groups and historians. The storm is the product of Pratibha Patil's uncalled for statement that the purdah system emerged in India to protect women from Mughal aggressors.
Political analysts hold the view that as UPA's Presidential nominee has evoked sharp reactions from Muslim groups and historians, the posibility of an unspecified number of Muslim MPs and legislators voting against Pratibha Patil during the Presidential poll next month cannot be ruled out. A senior Congress leader, who pleaded anonymity, observed that the Congress leadership had been "deeply upset" by the hostile reaction by Muslim groups.
What has disturbed the Congress leadership, he pointed out, is the manner in which several Muslim leaders as well as clerics have underlined the perception that there are soft Hindutva elements in the Congress as well. Muslim groups and historians have let it be known that it was "unnecessary" for Pratibha Patil to incorporate communal view in her speech.
And historians too are contesting Pratibha Patil's remarks, saying that segregation of men and women and veiling from the in-laws existed since the 11th century. Coming from the UPA-Left Presidential candidate, the statement is particularly shocking considering she had only recently and rather famously proved her secular credentials after she refused to sign the anti-conversion bill sent to her by the Rajasthan government.
But is Pratibha Patil's comment much ado about nothing? 'Face the Nation' programme of CNN-IBN channel debated the issue with general secretary, Jamait-e- Ulema-e- Hind and Rashtriya Lok Dal MP, Maulana Mahmood Madani, Columnist with The Pioneer, Sandhya Jain and historian from the Institute for Development Studies, Jaipur, Varsha Joshi.
At the outset, all panelists agreed that Pratiobha Patil’s comments were uncalled for. “Anything that a Presidential candidate says holds a meaning. She should have been careful and nuanced it and it is an inter-community and intra-community issue and needed nuancing”, said Sandhya Jain. Pratibha Patil's comment seemed to upset Varsha Joshi who dismissed the observation and said that the implementation of purdah started in the strictest of terms much before. “This happened much before Muslims entered India or Rajasthan to be particular”, she said.
Sandhya Jain also pointed out that just a few months ago Britain was in the eye of the storm as regards the veil issue. “Also, actor Shabana Azmi goes to House of Commons, wins an honour, comes back and says purdah must go. Then there is Salman Rushdie who gets to bear the brunt for writing Satanic Verses. There is a feeling among the Muslims of being hemmed in and I am not sure if Pratibha Patil’s was the right way to discuss history or social reality”, Jain said.
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