Amid the controversy over a proposed interaction of Muslim women in Varanasi with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the district administration has called off the event. The Muslim community was divided over the proposed interaction between Muslim women and Modi during his visit on September 22.
On Friday, the district administration had issued an order to various madrasas to send 25 women each for this proposed visit. The madrasas, however, protested the move. The order issued by Varanasi district’s minority welfare officer R.K. Yadav had directed the managers and principals of all aided and non-aided madrasas of to ensure the presence of minority women at PM’s functions. The Minister of State for Minority Welfare Mohsin Raza said, “It is a simple dialogue session with the prime minister but after some objections by some Muslim bodies we have decided to cancel it.”
Varanasi has 23 aided and 127 non-aided madrasas which are recognised by the UP Madrasa Education Board. Around 700 Muslim women were to participate in this dialogue.
While a section of Muslims wanted the interaction to take place, others were against it. While hard-liners opposed it, others looked at it as an opportunity to unfold their grievances before the prime minister. AIMWPLB (All India Muslim Women Personal Law Board) President Shaista Ambar said, “Since PM has invited women of our community for a dialogue, this is an opportunity and there is no point in opposing this move.”
However, madrasas and some hard-liners saw this move as BJP’s strategy to reach out to Muslims. According to Diwan Saheb Zaman Khan, general secretary of the Teachers’ Association Madaris-e-Arabia, madrasas are educational bodies and it is not their duty to ensure this kind of participation for any such programme.
According to Nazeen Ansari, a social activist in Varanasi, women were being prevented from participating in this dialogue by a group of hard-liners.
