MUMBAI: An unusual morcha wound its way through Mumbai's Muslim dominated localities on Saturday afternoon. A vociferous group mostly of Muslim women, many wearing the hijab, publicly protested against the extra-judicial actions of some religious bodies.

Shouting slogans "Shah Bano, Gudiya, Imrana, the Maulanas are unjust" and "Our government is silent because it is afraid of the Maulanas," the women wanted an end to fatwas and edicts which affected their lives.

Shabnam Qureshi never participated in a demonstration before. This mother of two, wearing a hijab, said she decided to protest when she heard the case of Imrana from Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh.

"My blood boiled when I heard on television about the way the maulvis insisted that she leave her husband and go to her father-in-law who had raped her," she said. "I believe in religion," she said, "But our religion gives you the right to choose. No one has the right to force their will on us."

The demonstration was organised by five organisations working with women — Awaaz-e-Niswaan, Women's Research and Action Group, Forum Against Oppression of Women, the India Centre for Human Rights and Law Network and PUKAR gender and space project.

In their statement, they said their belief in the judicial and social systems was shaken by the recent Imrana episode and similar cases. "One can only imagine the magnitude of the unreported cases where thousands of Imranas are being subjected to the most atrocious customary practices and thousands of women are being subjected to such fatwas which infringe on their liberty to live life without fear."

"Let rule of law prevail"

The organisations demanded that the rule of law prevail. "Laws which are applicable to women from the other communities must also be applicable to Muslim women." They asked for an end to the "politics of fatwa" and to "extra-judicial authorities." The Muslim women from Mumbai were additionally agitated over the growing incidence of clerics insisting that there be no dancing and singing at the mehndi ceremonies preceding weddings and that no photographs be taken at weddings.

Even watching cable television was prohibited by some maulvis, said the women. "Weddings are one time when women can celebrate and enjoy themselves," said one of them. "Why should we be denied that right?"

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail