MONTREAL: Muslim men and women along with people from other religious sects including the Sikh community gathered together against the charter of values proposed by Qubec’s Premier Pauline Marois.
Members of Muslims and Sikh community in a multicultural event protested against the ban of wearing religious clothing. Those who claim not to be associated with any religion also participated along with people associated to certain beliefs.
A local mosque group carried with them a large banner that stated “Multi-faith gathering for peace.”
24 year old engineer Noman Safdar from Pakistan said, “This is a time for all religions to come together for what they believe in. We came here for freedom; you can’t go and impose things on people like this”.
Earlier this week a heated debate started on part of the Parti Quebecois (PQ) government who banned the public employees from wearing religious symbols such as hijabs, turbans, yarmulkes and larger-than-average crucifixes.
Many of the people also supported the charter while others termed it as an act of discrimination. The PQ even though in minority in the provincial legislature emphasises that it is to ensure that equality between men and women is protected and at the same instant presents a neutral face.
Some of the protestors in the rally were perplexed over the decision how this law may affect their prospects on the job.
A 17 year old Muslim girl, Salma Ahmed wearing hijab says that she can’t let her dreams sway away from her “We’re all really worried at school”.
A 60 year old Sikh Harbhajan Singh says that a proposed law like this one would lead to the circumstances of “brain drain” just like witnessed in the 1995 Quebec referendum on sovereignty. “We have been living very peacefully here, with no problems”.
On the other hand, some religious organisations decided not to participate in the protests including a Jewish group said as it was planned for Yom Kippur the holiest day on the Jewish calendar.
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