Banning Ghunghat, Burqa Is About Woman Empowerment: Javed Akhtar

A day after his statement on ghunghat and burqa, Akhtar took to Twitter to clarify his stand.

A day after saying that the he was not averse to a law banning the burqa if similar action is taken against the 'ghunghat', veteran lyricist Javed Akhtar tweeted clarifying his stand.

On Friday, Akhtar tweeted alleging that his statement is being ‘distorted’. He further said that he was against covering of face on the grounds of ‘woman empowerment’

Some people are trying to distort my statement . I have said that may be in Sri Lanka it is done for security reasons but actually it is required for women empowerment . covering the face should be stopped whether naqab or ghoonghat .

— Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) May 3, 2019

In another tweet that followed, replying to a report on his statement, he reiterated his stand.

The question is not only of our security but the dignity and empowerment of women . Can a woman in a burqa or ghoonghat be a pilot , sportsperson , journalist , political leader . I believe both the restrictions on women are undesirable .

— Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) May 3, 2019

Earlier, on Thursday, 2 May, while speaking to reporters in Bhopal, Akhtar said:

“If you want to bring a law banning burqa here (in India) and if it is someone’s view I have no objection. But before the last phase of election in Rajasthan, this government should announce a ban on the practice of `ghunghat’ (covering of the face by Hindu women) in that state.”

His comment came in the wake of the Shiv Sena mouthpiece, ‘Saamana’, on Wednesday, 1 May, urging the Modi government to emulate Sri Lanka in banning the burqa on grounds of national security.

Speaking further on the issue, the Bollywood veteran said, “I have little knowledge of the burqa as there were working women in my family and I haven’t seen the practice at my home,” reported news agency PTI.

"Iraq is a very orthodox Muslim country but the women there do not cover their faces. The law in Sri Lanka (now), too, forbids face cover," said the celebrated screenwriter.

In the editorial in ‘Saamana', the Sena had asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to follow Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena's footsteps and ban the burqa and other face-covering garments in India considering the "threat" they pose to the nation’s security.

Sri Lanka's decision came in the wake of the Easter Sunday terror attacks in the island nation that killed over 250 people.

As the editorial created a flutter and drew sharp reaction from various quarters, a senior Sena leader said the editorial was not the official stand of the party, which is an ally of the BJP.

(With inputs from PTI)