‘Blatant racism’: Australian senator wears burqa in parliament to push ban, sparking outrage
Sydney: Australian far-right Senator Pauline Hanson wore a burqa in Parliament on Monday as part of her renewed push for a public ban on the Islamic garment. The stunt drew immediate backlash from Muslim senators, who slammed it as “blatant racism."
Hanson wore the burqa shortly after she was denied permission to introduce a bill seeking to outlaw the full-body garment and other full-face coverings in public places in Australia, as reported by news agency Reuters.
It marked the second time she had used the garment, worn by several Muslim women, in parliament in an effort to ban the public wearing of burqas.
The Senate erupted in anger as she walked into the chamber wearing the burqa, and proceedings were suspended when Hanson refused to remove it.
“This is a racist senator, displaying blatant racism,” said Mehreen Faruqi, a Greens senator from the state of New South Wales. Independent senator Fatima Payman of Western Australia described the incident as “disgraceful.”
Penny Wong, leader of the centre-left Labor government in the Senate, and Anne Ruston, deputy Senate leader for the opposition coalition, both rebuked the stunt.
“The act was not worthy of a member of the Australian Senate,” Reuters quoted Wong as saying. She moved a motion to suspend Hanson for failing to remove the garment. When Hanson declined to leave the chamber, the Senate was forced to suspend proceedings.
Hanson, a Queensland senator who rose to prominence in the 1990s for her hardline views on immigration and asylum seekers, has long campaigned against Islamic clothing. In a Facebook statement after the incident, she said her actions were a protest against the Senate’s refusal to support her proposed ban.
“So if the Parliament won’t ban it, I will display this oppressive, radical, non-religious head garb that risks? Our national security and the ill-treatment of women on the floor of our parliament so that every Australian knows what’s at stake,” Hanson said in the statement. “If they don’t want me wearing it – ban the burqa,” she added.
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Mangaluru: Teacher booked for allegedly beating student in school
Vittla (Dakshina Kannada): A case has been registered at the Vittla Police Station against a school teacher on charges of seriously assaulting a student with a cane at an English-medium school in Idkidu village here near Vittla in Dakshina Kannada district.
According to the complaint, the student, who attends the school regularly, had gone to school as usual. Around 2 pm, the child’s parents received a call from the school office stating that their child had allegedly disturbed other students. The school informed them that when the teacher scolded the student over the issue, the child became frightened and urinated, and the parents were asked to come and take the child home.
The parents reportedly told the school staff that no one was at home at the time and requested that the child be sent home in an autorickshaw.
After returning home, the student told the parents that a teacher identified as Istikaar had beaten him severely on the hand with a cane. The child also said that he urinated out of fear while the assault was taking place.
When the parents contacted the teacher over the phone to question him about the incident, he allegedly responded in a dismissive manner.
Following this, the parents lodged complaints with the Vittla Police Station and the Child Development Project Office, seeking justice and strict action against the teacher for allegedly assaulting the child without any valid reason.
Police have registered a case against the teacher and have taken up further investigation.
