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A few dissenting voices, though, are questioning whether the decision pushes France's secularist values too far.
"Where does it begin or end; what we are calling radical behaviour?" asked Mohammed Bechari, president of the National Federation of French Muslims. "Will we see a man refused citizenship because of the length of his beard ... or a man who is dressed as a rabbi, or a priest?"
Critics accuse the French justice system of using secularism as an excuse for breeding fear and intolerance of Islam in a country home to western Europe's largest Muslim population, estimated at least 5 million of the nation's 63 million people - and growing.
French officialdom has struggled to instil secular traditions in diverse and evolving Muslim immigrant communities, passing a law in 2004 barring the Islamic headscarf and other highly visible religious symbols from public schools. Proponents of that law welcomed the decision denying citizenship to a woman wearing a niqab, or full-body veil, to her meetings with immigration officials.
"The burqa - it's a prison, a straitjacket," said France's minister for urban affairs, Fadela Amara, herself born to Algerian parents.
The terms burqa and niqab often are used interchangeably in France, though the former refers to a full- body covering worn largely in Afghanistan with only a mesh screen over the eyes.
If you want to live in some foreign country you got to respect the laws of the land 1st. Now when the lady is denied citizenship we'll see violent protests
Will France be France if women wearing black burkhas are seen all over Paris? I think not. Those who migrate to Western countries should either adopt the Western culture or just return to their own countries. France is absolutely right in denying French citizenship to this crazy woman. Let her go and live in Afghanistan if she wants to dress like this!
Will india stop being india if some half dressed parisian walks the streets in india. Should such half dressed people be sent to the amazon jungles to live with the animals? Have you not seen all your hindu brides and chaste hindu women dressed to cover?? Bunch of hypocracy in your letter. How are the french the standard bearers for the rest of the world in dressing???
Why Fully covered muslim women need french citizenship.Go and get citizanship in Afganistan or some othe muslim country.
Perhaps this andhra dude wears frenchie silk underwear... that he supports france so much. Little does this f..khead realize he will be lower than trash in the french eyes... So much for his francophile comments.
France is absolutely right in denying citizenship.Why does a burqa clad woman want citizenship in France. It is obvious that she never be able to assmilate in a modern society. She should go back to her medieval society. In fact all Western nations should follow the French initiative. These people do not contribute anything to society becuase most of them are illeterate AND in fact seculiarism is alien to muslims as they consider all oters infidels. They will accept the european generosity and financial assistance and when the time comes stab them in the back. So reject them ouright.
If you are looking for the illiterate, you will find the worlds largest collection in our own rural india who incidentally happen to come from your own ilk and not from any other community. And your comments about muslims are hal baked as I imagine your intellect is as well. The world belongs to the muslims just as anyone else. You would be wise to use your same arguement who line-up to work in muslims lands and continue to practice the meaningless idol worhship. Maybe you should use your schpiel about assimilation on them...
This women should continue putting Burkha
Secularism is not a one way street where the state is supposed to tolerate each and every weirdness of any community. The responsibilty of secularism also lies on the citizens, and they have to make sure that their customs and traditions do not loudly violate the prevailing atmosphere of a country. If a community is not secular enough to make some sacrifices to love in a secular state, it will only be whiplashed by other communities, leading to a breakdown of the secular state. The minorities must remember that it is the majority that has chosen to be secular. Please dont screw around with their pece of mind by your 15 century customs which you are so doggedly rigid about and expect them to be angels of love. Have some common sense.
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