A LEADING imam based in Oxford has leapt to the defence of Boris Johnson following the MP’s controversial comments on burkas.
Mr Johnson is facing mounting pressure to apologise after saying women who wear face-covering veils look like bank robbers and letterboxes.
Taj Hargey, of the Oxford Islamic Congregation, wrote in support of the former London mayor in a letter in The Times.
He said Mr Johnson, while perhaps guilty of using an “unfortunate evocative analogy”, should not have to apologise for telling the truth.
The religious leader added his own criticism of the attire.
Mr Hargey wrote: “The burka and niqab are hideous tribal ninja-like garments that are pre-Islamic, non-Koranic and therefore un-Muslim.
“Although this deliberate identity concealing contraption is banned at the Kaaba in Mecca, it is permitted in Britain, thus precipitating security risks, accelerating vitamin D deficiency, endorsing gender-inequality and inhibiting community cohesion.”
Ruth Davidson, leader of the Conservatives in Scotland, is among the most recent senior Tories to urge Mr Johnson to apologise.
She said Mr Johnson “knew exactly what he was doing” when he made the “gratuitously offensive” remarks in his column.
Conservative chairman Brandon Lewis has asked Mr Johnson to apologise for the remarks and Prime Minister Theresa May branded the comments “offensive”.
Aides of Mr Johnson, who is to be investigated for potential breaches of the Conservative Party code of conduct, previously said he will not say sorry.
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