In a few countries of the civilized world, it already has emerged as a major cause of concern, apart from being a general headlining material. The first when the term was used widely and became increasingly popular was back in the day in the face of the one of the worst terrorist attacks ever purported on the face of American mainland: the dreaded September 11 Terrorist attacks, of 2001.
But each day, the term ‘Islamophobia’ continues to generate polarizing views and perspectives, regardless of it being a subject of discussion whether in democracies backing civil liberties or the authoritarian regimes.
And among an underlining topics of discussion, is the cause of concern that the Burqa seems to have become. For had that not been the case then one may not have seen sanctions being imposed that called for things like the ‘Burqa ban!’
And now, where it stands, it appears that after nations in Western Europe like France took a firm stand in favor of the Burqa ban, even Switzerland seems to have joined the march toward banning the wearing of the veil in public.
At the heart of the Burqa ban remains the displeasure of the civil democracies toward individuals wearing the thick veil in places of public gathering and commonly-frequented spots, such as airports, museums, libraries, shopping centres, stadiums, et cetera.
But just what will prevail in the coming times in the context of Switzerland, which way have the Swiss voters turned to where it comes to the sensitive matter?
Where reports stand, then on Sunday, i.e., March 7, 2021, the Swiss voters narrowly approved a proposal to ban the face coverings. This, however, includes- not only the niqabs and the burquas commonly used by the Muslim women but also the ski masks and bandanas that are adorned by the members of a protesting community.
If the resolution is passed and it reaches higher ground, then no longer will one be permitted to wear a veil or concealment in public areas or gatherings, whether at restaurants, stadia, or even whilst using the public means of transport, such as the rail network or even down the street.
That being said, here’s what The Hindu reported on a major development from the heart of Switzerland at this time:
Two Swiss cantons, or states, Ticino and St. Gallen, already have similar legislation that foresees fines for transgressions. National legislation will put Switzerland in line with countries such as Belgium and France that have already enacted similar measures.
The Swiss government had opposed the measure as excessive, arguing that full-face coverings are a “marginal phenomenon.” It argued that the ban could harm tourism — most Muslim women who wear such veils in Switzerland are visitors from well-heeled Persian Gulf states, who are often drawn to Swiss lakeside cities.
Moving on, it is worthwhile to note that, at present, a few muslim (not all) wear the full-face coverings in a country that measures no fewer than 8.5 million people.
At present, almost 51.2% of those who voted, have voted for the Burqa ban.
Will the current workings of the law institute a tough stance (from a Muslim perspective) in the days to follow? Only time will tell. But the way it look as of now, it doesn’t appear whether Switzerland will go back to relaxing the norms against the wearing of the Burqa.