New Delhi: Amid the developing controversy over the ban on the entry of women and girls inside the Jama Masjid premises, Delhi LG reportedly spoke to Imam Bukhari and requested him to rescind the order.
According to sources close to the newswire agency ANI, Imam Bukhari has agreed to revoke the order, with the request that visitors respect and maintain the sanctity of the Mosque.
Further, the notice banning the entry of women coming alone or in groups to Jama Masjid, removed from Gate No. 3 of the mosque.
Earlier today, Delhi Commission of Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal today issued notice to the Imam of Jama Masjid after the mosque administration issued an order, imposing a ban on the entry of girls/women coming alone or in a group.
“The decision to stop the entry of women into Jama Masjid is absolutely wrong. As much as a man has the right to worship, so does a woman. I am issuing notice to the Imam of Jama Masjid. No one has the right to ban the entry of women like this,” she tweeted.
जामा मस्जिद में महिलाओं की एंट्री रोकने का फ़ैसला बिलकुल ग़लत है। जितना हक एक पुरुष को इबादत का है उतना ही एक महिला को भी। मैं जामा मस्जिद के इमाम को नोटिस जारी कर रही हूँ। इस तरह महिलाओं की एंट्री बैन करने का अधिकार किसी को नहीं है।
— Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) November 24, 2022
“This is an unconstitutional step taken by them. Do they think this is Iran, where they can discriminate against women and no one will say anything? A woman has an equal right to pray as a man. DCW will make sure the ban is removed,” Swati Maliwal said.
The panel said a notice has been placed at the entry of Jama Masjid, Delhi which states, “Jama Masjid mein ladki ya ladkiyon ka akele dakhla mana hai [Entry of a girl or girls alone (without families) into Jama Masjid is banned.” The notice came up a few days ago outside the three main entry gates, sources in the mosque’s administration said.
The DCW notice reads: “The board prohibits the entry of women and girls in the Masjid who are not with male companions. The Jama Masjid in Delhi is a historical mosque and women have been going there to perform religious practices without any restriction FOR ages. Preventing women from freely entering and practising their religion in the mosque is highly discriminatory and an extremely regressive practice as a place of worship should be open to everyone, regardless of their gender.”
It has sought to know the reasons for prohibiting the entry of women and girls ‘without male companions’ to the Jama Masjid.