. It's a very, very sensitive issue; all I'm saying is we need to have this debate about integration.”

Members of a minority group long to maintain separate identity only when they feel themselves insecure. Eventually they rush under umbrella of a group. A burka a head scarf, a tilak the colored spot on forehead, long beard or say

Since Mr. Jack Straw sparked the issue of Niqab, a veil over Muslim women’s faces, it has become a subject of bitter discussions up to the far corners of Europe. The Prime Minister Mr. Tony Blaire has also taken a seat in the same non-metered taxi by defining the burka as "a mark of separation and that is why it makes other people from outside of the community feel uncomfortable" (Guardian, October 18).

Beyond doubt, it’s a worthy debate. The Muslims have devised a dress code for women. No such dress code for men. Most of the men are choosing the western outfits, pants and shirts. So it’s not a religious issue alone; it’s an issue of discrimination on the ground of being a woman, a gender bias.

For a moment, believing that the veil is entirely a religious issue, let us think what did the western governments do to integrate the minorities with the entire population. The rich and culturally forward nations like UK and France have failed to convince their minority communities to think in national terms. Why do the British Muslims think that they are first Muslim and then British? Such is the case with most of the other countries. There is something wrong in the mutual dealings: between state and its residents.

Mr. Blair had gone further, "All the evidence is that when people do integrate more, they achieve more as well. It's a very, very sensitive issue; all I'm saying is we need to have this debate about integration.”

Members of a minority group long to maintain separate identity only when they feel themselves insecure. Eventually they rush under umbrella of a group. A burka a head scarf, a tilak the colored spot on forehead, long beard or say

outside of the community feel uncomfortable" (Guardian, October 18).

Beyond doubt, it’s a worthy debate. The Muslims have devised a dress code for women. No such dress code for men. Most of the men are choosing the western outfits, pants and shirts. So it’s not a religious issue alone; it’s an issue of discrimination on the ground of being a woman, a gender bias.

For a moment, believing that the veil is entirely a religious issue, let us think what did the western governments do to integrate the minorities with the entire population. The rich and culturally forward nations like UK and France have failed to convince their minority communities to think in national terms. Why do the British Muslims think that they are first Muslim and then British? Such is the case with most of the other countries. There is something wrong in the mutual dealings: between state and its residents.

Mr. Blair had gone further, "All the evidence is that when people do integrate more, they achieve more as well. It's a very, very sensitive issue; all I'm saying is we need to have this debate about integration.”

Members of a minority group long to maintain separate identity only when they feel themselves insecure. Eventually they rush under umbrella of a group. A burka a head scarf, a tilak the colored spot on forehead, long beard or say

of being a woman, a gender bias.

For a moment, believing that the veil is entirely a religious issue, let us think what did the western governments do to integrate the minorities with the entire population. The rich and culturally forward nations like UK and France have failed to convince their minority communities to think in national terms. Why do the British Muslims think that they are first Muslim and then British? Such is the case with most of the other countries. There is something wrong in the mutual dealings: between state and its residents.

Mr. Blair had gone further, "All the evidence is that when people do integrate more, they achieve more as well. It's a very, very sensitive issue; all I'm saying is we need to have this debate about integration.”

Members of a minority group long to maintain separate identity only when they feel themselves insecure. Eventually they rush under umbrella of a group. A burka a head scarf, a tilak the colored spot on forehead, long beard or say

onal terms. Why do the British Muslims think that they are first Muslim and then British? Such is the case with most of the other countries. There is something wrong in the mutual dealings: between state and its residents.

Mr. Blair had gone further, "All the evidence is that when people do integrate more, they achieve more as well. It's a very, very sensitive issue; all I'm saying is we need to have this debate about integration.”

Members of a minority group long to maintain separate identity only when they feel themselves insecure. Eventually they rush under umbrella of a group. A burka a head scarf, a tilak the colored spot on forehead, long beard or say

. It's a very, very sensitive issue; all I'm saying is we need to have this debate about integration.”

Members of a minority group long to maintain separate identity only when they feel themselves insecure. Eventually they rush under umbrella of a group. A burka a head scarf, a tilak the colored spot on forehead, long beard or say wearing a cross: these are the visible symbols or marks of belonging to a certain group. Had all the communities integrated fully, all these outward symbols would have lost importance.

In India (though the Indians can’t claim a satisfactory integration of the different religions), whenever there had been wars between India and Pakistan, not one of the citizens thought that a Hindu country was at war with a Muslim country. Or vice versa. Perhaps they, all the religiously different groups, have accepted their destiny to remain together; or they have started to learn living jointly.

Today the entire western world (having population mostly following Christian religion) is at war with two Muslim countries, namely Afghanistan and Iraq. And it’s not secret that the followers of Islam living in western countries have their dislike for the war. When someone’s own country is at war, why the member of a community within the country should speak in a dissenting tone? Had they been assimilated fully, had they feel security in being a nation’s citizen first, they would have desisted from doing so.

Moreover the religious beliefs are matter of heart. And when the heart is attacked, wounded, bleeding, it keeps on rebelling against each and every issue—may it be genuine or not. While tackling such issue the leaders should employ the