Women need not wear abaya: Saudi crown prince
Riyadh: Women in Saudi Arabia need not wear headcover or the black abaya — the loose-fitting, full-length robes symbolic of Islamic piety — as long as their attire is “decent and respectful”, the kingdom’s reform-minded crown prince said.
With the ascent to power of young Prince Mohammad Bin Salman, the country has seen an expansion in women’s rights including a decision to allow women to attend mixed public sporting events and the right to drive cars from this summer.
The changes have been hailed as proof of a new progressive trend towards modernisation in the traditionally conservative country.
The laws are very clear and stipulated in the laws of sharia (Islamic law): that women wear decent, respectful clothing, like men...”
- Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman
“The laws are very clear and stipulated in the laws of sharia (Islamic law): that women wear decent, respectful clothing, like men,” Mohammad said in an interview with CBS television aired late on Sunday.
“This, however, does not particularly specify a black abaya or a black head cover. The decision is entirely left for women to decide what type of decent and respectful attire she chooses to wear.”
A senior cleric said last month that women should dress modestly, but this did not necessitate wearing the abaya.
“This, however, does not particularly specify a black abaya or a black head cover. The decision is entirely left for women to decide what type of decent and respectful attire she chooses to wear.”
- Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman
It remains unclear if these statements signal a change in the enforcement of women’s dress code in the country.
Saudi Arabia has no written legal code to go with the texts making up sharia, and police and judiciary have long enforced a strict dress code requiring Saudi women to wear abayas and in many cases to cover their hair and faces.
But the country has witnessed a bold new climate of social freedoms with the rise of the 32-year-old crown prince to power after decades of elderly rulers.
Saudi women have started wearing more colorful abayas in recent years, the light blues and pinks in stark contrast with the traditional black.
Open abayas over long skirts or jeans are also becoming more common in some parts of the country.
On March 8, a group of women in the Saudi city of Jeddah marked International Women’s Day by exercising one of their newly acquired freedoms: the right to go for a jog, paying no heed to bemused onlookers.
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Congress leadership asks Deputy CM Shivakumar to continue, say sources
Bengaluru (PTI): The power tussle and squabbling in the ruling Congress in Karnataka has subsided for the time being as the party high command told the Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar to continue as the party state unit chief, Congress sources said on Sunday.
Shivakumar along with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was on a two-day visit to New Delhi on last Thursday and Friday where they had a meeting with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
The meeting assumes significance as a campaign has begun to replace Shivakumar as the party state president.
Several MLAs and Ministers believed to be from Siddaramaiah camp want Shivakumar to discontinue as the Congress state chief.
They have been demanding the strict adherence of the party policy of 'one person, one post'.
Since Shivakumar is the state Deputy Chief Minister and Congress president, his rivals in the party have been demanding his removal.
The argument is also that a person holding a ministerial position cannot do justice to the state president's post as he cannot give time to the party cadres willing to meet him.
Party high command is not keen on replacing Shivakumar considering his immense contribution to the party especially in winning the assembly elections, good performance of parry during Lok Sabha elections and in winning all three assembly bypolls, the sources said.
"The party high command was not inclined to replace Shivakumar at least till November and December this year," a senior party functionary told PTI.
There are reports about a secret pact that Siddaramaiah would helm the first half of the Congress' five-year tenure in Karnataka, who will be replaced by Shivakumar.
Neither Siddaramaiah, nor Shivakumar have confirmed this but their supporter ministers and MLAs in the party have started lobbying for their leaders.
There were also discussions on Cabinet reshuffle, MLC elections and honey trap attempts on ministers and MLAs, the sources said.
According to them, cabinet reshuffle is not on the cards as of now.
Another party office-bearer said the Congress high command has left the selection of candidates for the MLC election to Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar.
Regarding the honey trap issue, Congress top sources said Rahul Gandhi was upset with the way it was raised.
"Gandhi was of the opinion that it shouldn't have been discussed inside the assembly, especially by Cooperation Minister K N Rajanna," a source said.
Rajanna had raised the issue inside the Karnataka Assembly. He even claimed that at least 48 MLAs have been honey-trapped.
The Minister got backing from state Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi who too stated that honey trap attempts were made on some ministers and MLAs.
About a fortnight ago, Rajanna had been to New Delhi to apprise the party high command how honeytrap attempts were made.
