Double Standards on Veil Policy?

This month, the press has paid much attention to the French parliamentary move to approve the ban of wearing the Islamic full veil in public. The full veil, or niqba, covers the entire face of a person with an opening only for the eyes.  This type of religious garb has proven cumbersome for identification of individuals in security matters, and is even seen as an infringement on the rights of women. However, the decision for the possible adoption of such a measure is seen as a double-standard in French society since it would only affect Muslim women.

As a result, much of the attention and outcry to this issue is based on the perception that it is anti-Muslim and that it infringes the rights of Muslims in France. France —being the poster boy for secularism (laïcité)—argues that the niqba runs contrary to their laïcité belief, an argument and belief also shared by the Syrian Arab Republic.  Lately, Syria began curbing the use of niqbas in their schools based on principles of secularism and religious education. However, no public outcry and little media attention have followed. Despite the fact that the systems of governance of France and Syria are worlds apart, their actions seem to be based  on the same principles and reasoning, yet the outcry of these decisions being anti-Muslim are only applied to France.

This begs the question if the claim of “double-standards” is also applicable to those who critique the French action?