State refuses to ban women riders from wearing scarves

TEAM HERALD

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PANJIM: Goa government has refused to ban the face veils/scarves worn by many women while riding two-wheelers, with Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar saying it is ‘unwarranted’.

He was responding to a Calling Attention Motion by Congress MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco over the increasing trend to cover faces with scarves while riding two-wheelers. He urged the government ‘to stop such acts’.

“It gives an impression that the person riding in such a manner would be construed as a person trying to conceal the identity…” he said, arguing that identity of girls wearing scarves becomes difficult and that some anti-social elements adapt to this can go unnoticed.

Parrikar, allaying his apprehensions said women cover their faces to protect from sun and pollution. “It appears that they cover their faces with scarfs/cloth to avoid sunlight/dust affecting them. Involvement of such ladies in any criminal activities by covering their faces has not come to light,” he said.

The chief minister went on to add, “Moreover, covering of face while travelling to protect the skin from ultraviolet rays, by no stretch of imagination can be dubbed as measure to conceal one’s identity and especially when there are no such intelligence inputs to this effect, and hence as such no action is warranted.”