Wednesday, September 08, 2004

France Equality

I have now quite a few times read about, the policy of france to ban any display of religious bias by an individual in public schools, by that I mean, Sikh kids are all banned from france public schools unless they stop wearing turban, similarly, muslim women are not allowed to wear their traditional headscarf in any public place, nor are christians allowed to display large crucifixes dangling down their neck. The stand by french government on this issue is, public display of religion creates bias in society, they want to strictly seperate religion and state.

I wonder what will france achieve imposing such a ban on people at the same time claiming its democratic staus, which by its definition allows people to adhere to their faith and freedom independent of state interference, as long as no harm is being done. If one extends this crazy idea a bit further, imagine not allowing people who could afford, to own say, Mercedes Benz, cause it will then create bias in the society amongst rich and poor. Imagine banning exams, as it might result in distinction from bright and smart kid from a dumer. You simply cant do this. Society is made to be baised, people have all the right to choose and follow what they believe in and state should not have any authority to have control over individuals right of freedom. In a way this law, has repercussion of an authoratirian state, trying to impose stricture on individual under disguise of glaringly farce idea of ¨all being done for the benefit of society¨


1 comment:

Avinash said...

Sachin,
I dont think France has stopped people from following their religion in the privacy of their home or in the confines of their places of worship, just in public. Plus europeans bcos of their history of centuries of violence (including the two WWs) and the involvement of the Vatican in those tend to take their separation of church and state a bit more seriously. I am not supporting france but one neednt accuse them of authoritarianism. But u are right they need to find middle ground.