‘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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4 workers die after being buried under coal slurry in Jharkhand's Dhanbad
Dhanbad (Jharkhand) (PTI): At least four workers died after being buried under coal slurry in Jharkhand's Dhanbad district on Saturday, a police official said.
The incident took place at Moonidih coal washery in the command area of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL).
"Bodies of all four workers were dug out of debris during a rescue operation," Putki police station in-charge Waqar Hussain told PTI.
The incident took place when coal slurry was being loaded into trucks by workers, during which a large chunk of slurry fell and trapped several workers underneath, officials said.
The deceased have been identified as Manik Bauri, Dinesh Bauri, Deepak Bauri, and Hemlal Gope.
Meanwhile, the family members of the deceased and local villagers placed the bodies in front of the washery gate and began a protest.
They demanded compensation, jobs for dependents and action against those responsible for the incident.
Police and administration officials are trying to pacify the protesters, an official said.
