Sarkozy says no to burka

THE Islamic burka is “not welcome” in France because it is not a symbol of religion but a sign of subservience for women, President Nicolas Sarkozy said yesterday.

“The burka is not a sign of religion, it is a sign of subservience,” he told lawmakers. “It will not be welcome on the territory of the French republic.”

A group of French lawmakers has been calling for a special inquiry into whether Muslim women who cover themselves fully in public undermine French secularism and women’s rights.