Trupti Desai, president of Bhumata Brigade, which was instrumental in breaking the 400-year-old tradition of not letting women enter the inner sanctum of the Shani Shingnapur Temple.
BY: EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE | MUMBAI |UPDATED: APRIL 29, 2016 1:38 AM
AMID HEAVY police deployment, around 70 social activists, under the aegis of Haji Ali Sab Ke Liye (HASKL), Thursday staged a dharna in an area barricaded by the police, 50 metres from the alley leading to the causeway towards the Haji Ali Dargah. They were demanding equal access for women to the shrine.
“This fight is not against religion but against patriarchy in our society. Five years ago, they would allow woman to enter the Dargah. I wonder what drastic change has taken place for them to change the rules now,” said Javed Anand of Muslims for Secular Democracy, who is also one of the main patrons of the Haji Ali Sab Ke Liye movement.
“There is a strong need to speak out against anyone perpetrating oppression, irrespective of what their religion is. We can’t choose not to speak out of fear that we may offend the minority community. These are difficult times and we have to be prepared to fight for our rights,” writer Anjum Rajabali said.
Trupti Desai, president of Bhumata Brigade, which was instrumental in breaking the 400-year-old tradition of not letting women enter the inner sanctum of the Shani Shingnapur Temple and who has been vocal about the Haji Ali demand, was, however, not allowed to enter the Dargah by the Mumbai Police.
http://indianexpress.com/article/in...to-haji-ali-aimim-gears-up-to-oppose-2774923/
BY: EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE | MUMBAI |UPDATED: APRIL 29, 2016 1:38 AM
AMID HEAVY police deployment, around 70 social activists, under the aegis of Haji Ali Sab Ke Liye (HASKL), Thursday staged a dharna in an area barricaded by the police, 50 metres from the alley leading to the causeway towards the Haji Ali Dargah. They were demanding equal access for women to the shrine.
“This fight is not against religion but against patriarchy in our society. Five years ago, they would allow woman to enter the Dargah. I wonder what drastic change has taken place for them to change the rules now,” said Javed Anand of Muslims for Secular Democracy, who is also one of the main patrons of the Haji Ali Sab Ke Liye movement.
“There is a strong need to speak out against anyone perpetrating oppression, irrespective of what their religion is. We can’t choose not to speak out of fear that we may offend the minority community. These are difficult times and we have to be prepared to fight for our rights,” writer Anjum Rajabali said.
Trupti Desai, president of Bhumata Brigade, which was instrumental in breaking the 400-year-old tradition of not letting women enter the inner sanctum of the Shani Shingnapur Temple and who has been vocal about the Haji Ali demand, was, however, not allowed to enter the Dargah by the Mumbai Police.
http://indianexpress.com/article/in...to-haji-ali-aimim-gears-up-to-oppose-2774923/