Jammu and Kashmir's first girl band decides to quit following fatwa

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir's first girl band has decided to call it quits after a fatwa was issued against them by the valley's Grand Mufti. While issuing a fatwa, the Mufti had called for women to wear a veil at all times.

He claimed that public performances by women were un-Islamic and obscene. The rock band 'Pragaash' had earlier decided to give up live performances following threats by extremists on Facebook.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, however, has stood firmly in support of the Class 10 girls. He ordered an inquiry into the threats they faced.

The opposition People's Democratic Party too backed the girls and demanded that the state protect them.

'Women must be in purdah at all times'

Slamming the girl band, Grand Mufti Bashir-ud-Din said that women must observe purdah at all times. "The way these girls dress up, in revealing clothes, it is not good. They should be blamed if anything wrong happens to them. Because they invited men, and it's not the opposite's gender's fault," he said.

He continued, "I would suggest, that whatever they want to do, they should do it within the confines of their homes in front of the women members of the family. They should not do anything publicly. I would like to suggest parents of such girls not to support them. They should sing in their rooms, in front of their mothers, sisters, daughters. Singing in public, in front of unknown men, I do not appreciate that.

"They should remain within their limits. They should remain in veil, and should always cover their head. This is the most important aspect. If they go out they should be in veil, and specially keep their head covered always, even in front of relatives. Because it is said that open hair attracts men."

The Grand Mufti ended by saying that women must not perform in public, as otherwise, there would be no difference between "our women and film actresses".