Speaking to Rouydad24, Jalal Jalalizadeh stressed that the government must follow the will of the people.
“The law should reflect the will of the majority,” he noted. “What is evident, based on observation and the general situation in society, is that the majority opposes compulsory hijab…naturally, any form of coercion or pressure in this regard will undoubtedly backfire”.
He also noted that the recent wave of hijab-related text message warnings has created fear and anxiety among people, urging officials to eventually realize that hijab cannot be imposed on the public through this level of pressure and force.
Jalalizadeh’s call for a rational and prudent approach to the issue comes as some observers suggest that the text message campaign may be part of a pilot implementation of the controversial hijab mandate in select provinces, with the possibility of expanding it nationwide after assessing its outcomes.
Jalalizadeh however rejected this speculation and said the reality is that the hijab mandate is a failed policy, and it is highly unlikely that society will accept its implementation.
