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Trupti Desai, however, insisted that the threats of the Shiv Sena leader would not work and her group would be going to Haji Ali Dargah on April 28.
A Shiv Sena leader stirred up a storm after he made a controversial statement against Bhumata Ranragini Brigade leader Trupti Desai over the Haji Ali Dargah issue.
Referring to the women group's decision to launch an agitation for getting permission to enter the dargha, Haji Arafat Shaikh said Trupti Desai would be welcomed with slippers, if she tried to enter the place of worship.
“Trupti Desai says will enter and touch Mazaar at Haji Ali, we strongly condemn this. If she makes an attempt then she would be welcomed with prasad of chappals,” Shaikh was quoted as saying by the ABP news.
Shaikh, who joined the Shiv Sena after leaving the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena in 2014, said that the attempt by Desai to enter the Haji Ali Dargah is a conspiracy meant to disturb Mumbai’s peaceful environment.
“All Muslim women have been opposing this. This is a conspiracy to disturb the peaceful environment inside Mumbai. A conspiracy is being made to instigate the Muslims by playing caste and religion-based politics. The police and law and order should prevent her from doing that,” he told ANI.
“Islam does not allow women to touch the mazar-e-sharif in a dargah. We strongly condemn what Trupti Desai is saying. We won’t allow her to enter the inner sanctum of the Hazi Ali Dargah. I will be the voice of my religion and will not allow her to touch the mazar-e-sharif,” he added.
Meanwhile, Trupti Desai insisted that the threats of the Shiv Sena leader would not work and her group would be going to Haji Ali Dargah on April 28.
“This kind of threat is wrong. Everyone has the right to protest in a democracy. He has insulted women,” she said.
Demanding the Shiv Sena to clear its stand, the Bhumata Brigade chief said that if the organization differs in views with Haji Arafat then they should sack him.
Earlier, Desai along with several other women, NGOs and social groups, had also launched a forum 'Haji Ali For All' to campaign for women's entry to the shrine.
In a historic ruling in February, Bombay High Court had declared that entering places of worship is the fundamental right of a woman and that the government is duty-bound to protect their right.
The court ruling had paved way for women entry in Shani Shignapur temple where they were barred from entering the inner sanctum by a 400-year-old tradition.
The Supreme Court, which is hearing the Sabarimala temple case, had recently observed that tradition is not above constitution and women cannot be stopped from entering temples.
