The Hyderabadi women expressed solidarity with the Muslim girl students of the Udipi college and made an appeal to the college authorities to allow them to attend classes.
Pervez Bari | Clarion India
“We strongly condemn the policies and practices of rightwing forces where they are creating a communal and unsafe environment for Muslim minority, especially Women,” asserted a group of Muslim women at a joint Press Conference on Saturday.
The press conference was organised under the banner of Sharia Committee for Women in coordination with Muslim Girls Association and Muslim Women Association. Those who addressed the press conference included Dr. Asma Zehra, Ms Tahniyat Ather, Mrs. Bushra Nadeem, Mrs. Asma Jabeen, Mrs. Zara Khan and Dr. Sabera Aijaz.
The Hyderabadi women expressed solidarity with the Muslim girl students of the Udipi college and made an appeal to the college authorities to allow them to attend classes. They urged the Muslim girls of the college to keep struggling for their democratic rights in a democratic way.
Oppression of minority rights
The women at the press conference said, “After the Sulli Deals and Bulli Bai and Clubhouse assault, Muslim women are now facing the discrimination from a Karnataka college administration, which is nothing but suppression of minority rights in the country. The Constitution of India guarantees every citizen the right to follow his or her faith. The college’s highhanded behaviour is designed to deprive the Muslim community from education and force them to live like second class Citizens.”
The present government with the help of rightwing Hindutva forces has created an atmosphere of hate and communal disharmony. In some states they are targeting Muslim girls and women to meet their objective, they alleged.
The appeal
They made an appeal to the National Commission for Women, Women’s Human Rights Cell in NHRC (National Human Rights Commission), advocates, judges and intellectuals of the country to raise their voices against the communal agenda of the saffron forces. This anti-Muslim hate campaign is damaging the image of this great nation globally. Many experts are warning regarding genocide of Muslims which is an alarm bell, they added.
While on the one had the Government claims to have brought reforms in Muslim community by enacting a law on triple talaq, on the other denying Muslim girls their right to study in a government college for wearing hijab, they said pointing out the contrast.
The National Education Policy (NEP) is focusing on imposition of practices of a particular religion. Under this policy many Muslim students are forced to perform Yoga, Surya Namaskar and other such religious customs in educational institutions. In the name of culture, practices of the majority community are being imposed on minority students, this is nothing but oppression and against the Constitution of India, they pointed out.
India is a secular democracy known for unity in diversity. The customs, traditions and rituals in the country have never been a cause of disaffection among different communities living side by with perfect harmony. The Constitution guarantees the freedom of religion and choice to all the citizens irrespective of their faith, they asserted.
However, they lamented that the mainstream media is continuously to spread hatred against Muslims.
They hailed all the chief ministers who have taken measures to ensure justice and equality and protection of rights of minorities and. They requested all the state governments and the Centre to take immediate steps to stop this “campaign of hate”.