Pratibha Patil in the midst of a catching controversy

June 19: Pratibha Patil, the front runner in Presidential elections in the country is now in the midst of a catching controversy. Her remarks on Purdah system have been sharply criticized by many, including her opponents.

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While addressing at a function in Udaipur on Sunday, Patil traced the origin of the purdah in the Mughal era. She claimed that the purdah was introduced in India to "save women from Mughal invaders". She even urged for abolition of the same practice. She remarked the veil system was just a tool which was used for protection of women from Mughal aggressors.

However these remarks have led Pratibha Patil into a deep controversy. It has been found hard to swallow by many, including some of her own backers and thus giving her opponents needless chance to latch on this opportunity to attack. The SP leadership, which successfully lobbied the Third Front partners to sponsor the candidature of A.P.J Abdul Kalam on Monday, called Patil's remarks as “unfortunate”.

Her observation was termed as ‘historically inaccurate’ by historians and certain Muslim groups. However the bemused Congress, in an explanation, stated that the main purpose of the Rajasthan Governor was to highlight the plight of women in the country.

"She has twisted history, she must apologise and withdraw her observations," Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind general secretary Maulana Mehmood Madani said. Madani added that the Jamiat executive, who was in session, would adopt a resolution condemning Patil's remarks.

The Jamaat-e-Ulema-i-Hind’s Ahmed Abdul Hameed Nomani said: “There are several areas in the country where women do not wear the veil and there are several other areas where the veil has always been in practice, even before the Mughals came to India.”

Historians have also reacted sharply to Patil’s comments. “People are not historically aware that the veil existed in early Indian society. It was a way to show respect to the elders,” said B.P. Sahu, a historian at the Delhi University. “But the idea that the purdah system started as a result of the invasion by the Mughals is one of the stereotypical ideas that have been taken from the works of British historians,” he added.

“Though it is widely believed that the purdah system began after the Mughal invasion, in fact, it was prevalent earlier” said Kamal Mitra Chenoy Academician, a professor at the School of International Studies (SIS) at the Jawaharlal Nehru University.

Patil's interpretation of history, say historians, is not accurate. But more than that, her statement at a function to commemorate the 467th birth anniversary of Maharana Pratap was politically incorrect. And this has triggered a massive controversy with Muslim outfits, the Left intelligentsia and women's groups protesting against it.

“I will not venture into the chronology of when the purdah system started. In some parts it may have been before (the Mughal rule) and in other parts after,’’ said Congress spokesman Satyavrat Chaturvedi, sidestepping queries whether the party endorsed the views of its presidential nominee. He also warded off questions whether the Congress would ask Patil not to issue any statements henceforth. “It is for the leadership to decide,’’ He said.