Two days after a Kerala videographer’s studio was destroyed by arsonists, ostensibly in retaliation for remarks he had made about criminals using burqas to hide their identities, the police are yet to make any progress with their investigation.
Sub-inspector Radhakrishnan from Taliparamba in the northern district of Kannur said that though a dozen suspects had been questioned, no leads had been obtained. The police have enlisted the cyber wing to help with inquiries, he said.
The target of the attack, P Rafeeque, alleged that fundamentalists upset with his statements about the misuse of the Islamic veil had been responsible for the fire on Sunday morning at his Obscura Creations studio, from where he edited wedding videos and recorded audio tracks.
Rafeeque told Scroll.in that derogatory messages and threats against him had been circulated on Whatsapp and on Facebook after he posted his opinions on a group called “What is Islam”. The videographer said that his observations were prompted by a series of thefts by burqa-clad women at jewellery shops and at wedding receptions across Kerala. He said thefts had become a routine affair at marriage functions in the state’s Muslim-dominated districts.
Thefts at weddings
“There have been several such incidents in Kasargod districts recently,” Rafeeq said. “They indicate involvement of a racket behind the incidents. They are using the women in the veil as they cannot be identified. The racket is apparently using the veil as a cover for their criminal activities.”
Rafeeq said that his critics have accused him of opposing Islamic practices, but this wasn’t the case. “I did not call for a ban on the burqa,” he said. “I had only suggested women should not use the veil in public places. The suggestion was in the light of rising incidents of crimes behind the veils.”
His remarks prompted some people to call for his studio to be boycotted and for him to be ostracised. The photographer also received telephone threats both from people in the state and from Gulf countries. Rafeeq has given the details of the calls and the phone numbers to the investigating team.
According to police, a group of unidentified people barged into his studio around 1 am on Sunday, vandalised the equipment and set ablaze it after dousing it with petrol. The Fire Force, which received an anonymous call, rushed to the spot and doused the fire before it spread to the other parts of the building. The phone from which the call was received has since been turned off.
The attack has left Rafeeq fearful about his economic future. Equipment valued at Rs 10 lakhs was destroyed, he said.
The incident, which comes close on the heels of a female journalist being hounded for revealing sexual abuses in madrasas, has triggered an outrage in Kerala. Human rights activists have denounced the attack on the studio as a fascist action. Noted writer and activist Prof M N Karaserry said this was an indication of fundamentalist forces gaining strength in Kerala. The attack was similar to the attack on MF Hussain’s paintings by Hindu fundamentalists, he said.
“Rafeeque has a fundamental right to voice his opinion,” Karaserry said. “Those who disagree with him have no right to attack him. They resort to physical action in order to silence others with similar views. This cannot be allowed. I urge all Keralites to condemn this in strongest terms.”
Saudi influence
The attack also brings into focus the rising trend of Muslim women adopting the veil in the state noted for its liberal attitudes. The purdah culture in Kerala is believed to the byproduct of large-scale labour migration to West Asia. Increasing numbers of Keralite Muslims employed in Saudi Arabia, where it is mandatory for women to wear the burqa, continue to put on the veil even after they return home. Others in the state are emulating them, making it a fashion statement.
Adding impetus to the trend, fundamentalists have been insisting that the burqa is a symbol of Islam and started imposing the practice in Muslim-dominated areas. Several attacks on women who have to follow their writ have been reported. At the same time, fundamentalists also oppose the use of clothes such as churidars and jeans by Muslim girls.
Activists note that the veil is not actually prescribed by Islam. “There is nothing Islamic in the burqa,” said Karaserry. “Islam is against covering the face. Only the face of dead bodies can be covered with clothes as per Islam. Muslim women in the state have not been using it until 20 years ago. The fundamentalists have made it a norm for their vested interests.”
Sub-inspector Radhakrishnan from Taliparamba in the northern district of Kannur said that though a dozen suspects had been questioned, no leads had been obtained. The police have enlisted the cyber wing to help with inquiries, he said.
The target of the attack, P Rafeeque, alleged that fundamentalists upset with his statements about the misuse of the Islamic veil had been responsible for the fire on Sunday morning at his Obscura Creations studio, from where he edited wedding videos and recorded audio tracks.
Rafeeque told Scroll.in that derogatory messages and threats against him had been circulated on Whatsapp and on Facebook after he posted his opinions on a group called “What is Islam”. The videographer said that his observations were prompted by a series of thefts by burqa-clad women at jewellery shops and at wedding receptions across Kerala. He said thefts had become a routine affair at marriage functions in the state’s Muslim-dominated districts.
Thefts at weddings
“There have been several such incidents in Kasargod districts recently,” Rafeeq said. “They indicate involvement of a racket behind the incidents. They are using the women in the veil as they cannot be identified. The racket is apparently using the veil as a cover for their criminal activities.”
Rafeeq said that his critics have accused him of opposing Islamic practices, but this wasn’t the case. “I did not call for a ban on the burqa,” he said. “I had only suggested women should not use the veil in public places. The suggestion was in the light of rising incidents of crimes behind the veils.”
His remarks prompted some people to call for his studio to be boycotted and for him to be ostracised. The photographer also received telephone threats both from people in the state and from Gulf countries. Rafeeq has given the details of the calls and the phone numbers to the investigating team.
According to police, a group of unidentified people barged into his studio around 1 am on Sunday, vandalised the equipment and set ablaze it after dousing it with petrol. The Fire Force, which received an anonymous call, rushed to the spot and doused the fire before it spread to the other parts of the building. The phone from which the call was received has since been turned off.
The attack has left Rafeeq fearful about his economic future. Equipment valued at Rs 10 lakhs was destroyed, he said.
The incident, which comes close on the heels of a female journalist being hounded for revealing sexual abuses in madrasas, has triggered an outrage in Kerala. Human rights activists have denounced the attack on the studio as a fascist action. Noted writer and activist Prof M N Karaserry said this was an indication of fundamentalist forces gaining strength in Kerala. The attack was similar to the attack on MF Hussain’s paintings by Hindu fundamentalists, he said.
“Rafeeque has a fundamental right to voice his opinion,” Karaserry said. “Those who disagree with him have no right to attack him. They resort to physical action in order to silence others with similar views. This cannot be allowed. I urge all Keralites to condemn this in strongest terms.”
Saudi influence
The attack also brings into focus the rising trend of Muslim women adopting the veil in the state noted for its liberal attitudes. The purdah culture in Kerala is believed to the byproduct of large-scale labour migration to West Asia. Increasing numbers of Keralite Muslims employed in Saudi Arabia, where it is mandatory for women to wear the burqa, continue to put on the veil even after they return home. Others in the state are emulating them, making it a fashion statement.
Adding impetus to the trend, fundamentalists have been insisting that the burqa is a symbol of Islam and started imposing the practice in Muslim-dominated areas. Several attacks on women who have to follow their writ have been reported. At the same time, fundamentalists also oppose the use of clothes such as churidars and jeans by Muslim girls.
Activists note that the veil is not actually prescribed by Islam. “There is nothing Islamic in the burqa,” said Karaserry. “Islam is against covering the face. Only the face of dead bodies can be covered with clothes as per Islam. Muslim women in the state have not been using it until 20 years ago. The fundamentalists have made it a norm for their vested interests.”
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