Individuals' Intergrity

Discussion over wearing head scarves in France and in some parts of other countries has enthused me a lot these days. Everyday I read some or the other article on this. Other day I heard even my German course colleagues of different nationality even discussing on this. We all know this has always been a hot topic for debate. I heard people asking lot of questions like, Why is that a Muslim girl wears head scarf? Is it a must? What's the use? Is she not losing her identity? bla bla...

I am not here to emphasis on the religious or cultural part of this. But after the Prime Minister of France declared that no female with head scarf is allowed in France. This forced me to put a thought on this on-going issue. He stated that wearing Head-scarves hinders identity of Woman and so on. But I strongly it is the identity of the woman who prefers to wear head-scarf which has been integral part of her life. It is up to the woman, if she does want to wear it she can gladly. If she is willing to observe scarves, it should be her own decision rather than a second person influencing his/her decision on her. It's truly and solely based on person's individuality and one's own will. No Man or Nation should force woman to wear or to remove her headscarves.

The debate among classmates over this topic has ended in similar conclusions that every individual is identified by his own religion and custom and it is his/her integral part of life. Therefore every individual's identity should be respected and appreciated by every other individual. Well, the states or premieres of the states who are the Custodians of the individuals and their identity has no right to change it.........

:-) Image Courtesy: www.linkmuslims.com

Dark side of India continued....

Well, I could get a copy of the extract of the German text about Slum kids in India. I did in my previous post already summarize the context of the German lesson for Eighth Standard.

Reference: Deutschbuch 6 Grundausgabe, Redaktion: Otmar Käge, Cornelsen Verlag, Berlin.

Dark side of India

It all began when I visited my friend, where she was occupied with her routine work so I started fiddling with some things around and found a eighth standard German text book. I started turning the pages and reading in bits and pieces and for my surprise I found a chapter on India. I wanted to read it and know what the Germans thinks about we Indians and our great India.

As I continued reading, I was shocked to read as it was more about Indian Slums than any other thing about India. There were some so called Interviews of kids dwelling in Indian Slums and it stated that these kids especially from Mumbai never go to schools, infact they are never allowed to go to schools because they have to take care of house-hold things, look after their siblings and support their family by working day and night. They are left without any choice except to work in some restaurants, washing cars, selling flowers or sometime are thrown to beg. Kids complained that even if their parents are interested in sending them to school, the school authorities didn't allow them just for the reason that they do not have a an residence address as they live in the so-called unauthorized and unrecognized slums to register them in schools. They cried out their sorrow to these Foreigners for help. They told they are ill treated by their Employers, they are slapped and hit every time. They just needed to take all these pains to support their parents.

Girls in particular were lot in agony. They told that they were discriminated, parents were very partial towards them. They had to work more than their brothers and their brothers were fed more than them, just because he was a boy and if he is fed properly he would support their families in near future. They thought being a girl is a curse.

I was totally shocked to read this article in the Eighth Standard German text book. But the inputs of the text is not everything about India. I do understand those things detailed in the book do happen in India, but why German students have to learn about the slums of India? Why not the rich history, culture and colors of India? Is this how Germans perceive about India?