The unfortunate comment made by the former
Foreign Secretary Jack Straw that Muslim women should remove their veils
when they see him at his constituency during a surgery has generated a
lot of controversy here in UK. The UK Islamic based Human Rights
Commission has described Mr Straw’s comment as appalling which showed
deep lack of understanding. Mr Straw who represents Blackburn
Constituency with a number of large Muslim populace caused furore when
he again defended his comment that Muslim women wearing veil should
remove it when they visit him during a Constituency surgery. The
Commission expressed astonishment at the manner in which the Cabinet
Minister chose to selectively discriminate on the basis of religion and
another Muslim lady from his constituency accused the former Foreign
Secretary as having ulterior motives in his bid to fight for the deputy
leadership of the Labour party at the same time looking for cheap
publicity in preparation of his political future. The former Foreign
Secretary who defended his comment in an interview said the veil was a
visible sign of difference which according to him would create what he
called “difficulties in community relations”. Muslims have described the
comment as unfortunate which they see as promoting feelings of
separation rather than encourage integration within the community. One
Muslim said Mr Straw can say what he wants say but it is none of his
business as this is a religious issue not something for the politicians.
Muslims he noted wanted to live near Mosques and buy their Halal Meat
and meet friends and families so what is wrong with that he questioned.
The Labour Peer Baroness Uddin a Muslim from Bethnal Green said,
although she defended Mr Straw’s right to speak however, she was of the
opinion that his choice to do so was a mistake. Another Muslim said Jack
Straw has no right to tell Muslim what to wear or what not to wear as a
democratic society people have the choice a person wearing hijab is no
threat to anyone and therefore it is not a crime to be different. Mr
Straw who was appointed Leader of the House of Commons in May this year
was Home Secretary before he became Foreign Secretary. The 60-year old
MP who has two children son and a daughter was at the height of Iraq War
the Foreign Secretary and is no new to controversy causing backlash but
managed to maintain his majority during the election with only 1000
votes. The difference with the latest controversy is much more personal
as one Muslim Sister said in a BBC interview “asking me to take off my
veil before he talks to me is like me asking him to take off his shirt”.
One Muslim Cleric who was angry described Mr Straws comment was more
like a BNP member rather than a Cabinet Minister. Mr Straw had no
inkling that the article written by him in his local newspaper the
Lancashire Telegraph would cause such a furore in a multicultural
society. As one columnist wrote it is impossible to be jack of all trade
as Jack Straw wants be which could possibly be the last straw that hits
the camels back in his one time good relation with the members of his
Muslim constituency who were angered with Straw’s comment that generated
a lot of controversy. Possibly this could not be the last straw but
unguarded comments on sensitive issues pertaining to Islamic Religion
and any other Religion for that matter is doing no good to anyone
towards promoting and maintaining social community relations. The recent
slip of tongue used as quotation by the Pope not knowing the
implications involved generated lots of demonstrations all over the
Muslim World. Such demonstrations and anger only cooled down and
subsided when he personally apologised but unfortunately a Roman
Catholic Nun was murdered in Somalia in an incident not unconnected with
the comment. Salman Rushdie Book the Satanic Verses in the late 80s
caused world wide anger in the Muslim World and loss of lives. Similarly
the Miss World competition organised in Nigeria was forced to cancel for
unguarded comment by a Nigerian Lady journalist in the Month of Ramadan
which the Muslims see as a direct attempt and a challenge to import
and impose lewdness and iniquity during that sensitive period in which
the Muslims were keeping the Ramadan Fast. Although we are not sure
whether Mr Straws comment will be the last straw, however the lesson
everyone learns is that one has to be careful in making such general
sweeping statement to sensitive issues pertaining to religion which will
not be in the interest of promoting community relation and understanding
between the followers of two religions. They must endeavour to learn and
respect one another as the two cultures are on the verge of collision
clashing with each other due to their differences. As they say respect
only begets respect and prejudice only creates more hatred and
unnecessary intolerance leading to misunderstanding and possibly war of
words which if not guarded can lead to disastrous consequence.9
