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Kashmiri women and separatist leaders have decried the recent acid attack on women for not wearing the veil.
The unequivocal message to the little known fundamentalist Muslim group that claimed responsibility for the attack is that Kashmiri women's sartorial choice is none of their business.
"Who are they to describe the code of conduct and dress code for us?" asked an angry Mehronnisa, a resident of Srinagar. "We know what to wear and what not to and we know what Islam teaches".
Lashkar-e-Jabbar, a hitherto unknown group, claimed responsibility for the acid attack on two women teachers at a bus stand in Srinagar this week.
Several educational institutions for girls and women have been told to make their students cover their faces.
The attack has angered leaders of the separatist movement too for they see it as a bid to portray them as being powerless to stop what they see as the Talibanisation of liberal Kashmir.
"It seems to be a conspiracy," said Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, former chairman of the All Parties Hurriyet Conference and chief of the Awami Action Committee, a socio-political group that enjoys vast support in interior Srinagar.
"A woman is part and parcel of humanity and Islam, in particular, teaches us to show great respect to her," he added, describing the acid attack as 'unethical' and 'inhuman'.
Jamaat-e-Islami chief Ghulam Muhammad Butt felt Muslim women ought to know how to dress appropriately but disapproved of the fanaticism exhibited on the issue.
The Lashker-e-Tayiba, one of the most powerful terrorist groups active in Jammu and Kashmir, said it didn't believe in issuing threats to enforce social change.
Working Muslim women in Kashmir were angry, but also scared.
"What do they expect us to wear and how do they expect us to work? Let them mind their own business and leave us alone," said one woman.
A young lawyer said, "I am at a loss to understand whether I should wear a robe (worn by legal practitioners) or burqa (veil)".
Indo-Asian News Service
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