Intellectual Liberals Won't Have Conservative Position On Muslim Issues, Politically Inclined Liberals Do: Saurabh Kirpal
|While speaking at an event organised by Shiv Nadar Foundation earlier this week, Senior Advocate Saurabh Kirpal said that it is a valid criticism that politically inclined liberals take a conservative position when it comes to issues relating to Muslims. He said that "intellectual liberals" do not do that.
He said that he is not a fan of 'Hijab' and that he is against cloaking women and removing their identity. He also said that the criticism of the 'right' sometimes is justified because sometimes the excesses of other religions (other than Hindu) are allowed to stand.
Saurabh Kirpal is the son of former Chief Justice of India Bhupinder Nath Kirpal. His name was recommended for judgeship in Delhi High Court by the Supreme Court Collegium. Had the recommendation been accepted by the Centre, he would have been the first openly gay Judge in the higher judiciary. The Centre has reportedly objected to his elevation as a Judge citing a conflict of interest as his male partner is a European who works with the Swiss Embassy.
Saurab was responding to a question in the context of Islamic practices like Hijab and Triple Talaq, about criticism that liberals take a conservative position when it comes to issues relating to the Muslim community.
"Let me bring you in here into a criticism that the right-wing often throws at those who are called liberals, which is that where the Hindu framework is concerned liberals are always pushing and criticizing the Hindu right for being conservative, for being patriarchal, for being fascist etc. etc. and pushing for liberal positions. But the moment it comes to Muslims, bizarrely liberals take a very conservative position on Muslim issues. Suddenly you are pro-Hijab, you are pro-Triple Talaq. Do you think this is a valid criticism of the liberal position from the right, do you hold it yourself and do you think it needs to change", asked the host Shoma Chaudhury to Saurabh Kirpal.
"I think that's a very valid criticism of a certain section of liberals, particularly those politically inclined. An intellectual liberal will not have that position. I certainly don't. When I see injustice being meted out, I have to be blind as to who's doing that. Now if it is within the Muslim Community, there is no question that the Court must intervene", Saurabh said while speaking at the event which involved a debate between him and Advocate J. Sai Deepak on the subject "Who has the right to change a society?".
Saurab said that the Court was right to step in and strike down Triple Talaq and that it is a deeply offensive practice that has no place in a modern democracy governed by the rule of law.
On the Islamic practice of wearing Hijab, the Senior Advocate said that he is "not a fan of cloaking women and removing their identity". "I am not a great votary of or a fan of hijab at all", he said.
Saurab also said that "criticism of the 'right' sometimes is justified because sometimes the excesses of other religions are allowed to stand".