BIG concern for Muslims in THIS country as it plans to impose hijab ban due to…; not US, UK, Germany, Canada, the country is…

Italy Hijab Ban: In a major move to curb the purported rise of Islamic separatism, the Giorgia Meloni-led government in Italy is planning to introduce a bill to impose a ban on Islamic coverings, such as the burqa, niqab and hijab, in public spaces across the country.

Why Italy plans a hijab ban?

According to Politico, Meloni’s ruling Brothers of Italy party, has asserted that the hijab ban is aimed to curb the surge in Islamic extremism and ensure that religious freedom is compatible with the country’s constitution.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Andrea Delmastro Delle Vedove, a member of Italy’s Chamber of Deputies, asserted that while religious freedom is a sacred, inalienable right in Italy, it must respect the constitution and the foundational principles of the Italian state.  Vedove, an influential member of Brothers of Italy, a right-wing populist political party currently in power in Italy, is considered of the chief planners of the anti-hijab bill which proposes a strict ban on face coverings like niqab, burqa and hijab in public places.

Delmastro said the bill was inspired by France, which became the first European country to impose a burqa ban in 2011.

What does Italy’s hijab ban bill propose?

The bill proposes a complete ban on face coverings in public places, including shops, schools, and offices, with a fine between 300 and 3,000 euros (approximately Rs 3 lakh) imposed on violators. The Giorgia Meloni government has blamed increasing Islamization and described the public display of Islamic symbols as cultural separatism, as reasons for the proposed ban.

Additionally, the bill also proposes to regulate funding of mosques and curb the menace of forced marriage. “This bill will primarily deal with regulating the funding of mosques and preventing and banning the use of the full-face veil. It also emphasizes legislation against forced marriage,” Sarah Kelany, the immigration chief of the Brothers of Italy party told reporters at a presser on Wednesday.

“We in Italy enforce our own laws, which are based on specific values,” Kelany added.

Hijab ban across Europe

Several European countries including Belgium, Denmark and Switzerland have imposed partial or complete ban on full-face coverings in public spaces over the past decade, with France being the first country in the continent to introduced a burqa ban in 2011.

Notably, there is already a 1975 law in force in Italy which prohibits full-face coverings in public, but it doesn’t specifically mention the burqa, niqab, hijab, or any other Islamic coverings, Politico reported.