MCB responds to Yasmin Alibhai Brown's 'retrogressive' claim

Thursday, 28 January 2010 16:28

The Independent today prints a letter from the MCB responding to Yasmin Alibhai Brown’s article in Monday’s edition of the paper in which she referred to the organisation as "retrogressive" for its opposing the banning of Muslim female attire (niqab and burqa).

The letter reads:

‘Yasmin Alibhai-Brown takes an unexplained swipe at the Muslim Council of Britain as she pursues a bizarre attack on those women who choose to wear the veil. She claims that the Muslim Council of Britain is "retrogressive", but gives no reason for this.

‘The Muslim Council of Britain is a democratic, cross-sectarian Muslim umbrella body that does not pass judgement on any Muslim tradition or tendency. We have consistently argued for equality of opportunity, not for special privilege.

‘Ms Alibhai-Brown rails against "liberal Westerners" who do not submit to her "progressive Muslim" aim of restricting the veil in public places. We presume her ire would also be reserved for President Obama who said last year: "It is important for Western countries to avoid impeding Muslim citizens from practising religion as they see fit, for instance, by dictating what clothes a Muslim woman should wear. We cannot disguise hostility towards any religion behind the pretence of liberalism."’

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