The issue of women’s entry in the Haji Ali dargah brought the Shiv Sena, the Samajwadi Party and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) together. All three parties opposed the demand.
Targeting Trupti Desai of Bhoomata Brigade, who had vowed to enter the dargah, SP leader and MLA Abu Asim Azmi threatened to manhandle her if she even “tried to step inside.”
Sena leader Haji Arafat Sheikh threatened to blacken her face, which was echoed by local leader of AIMIM, Haji Rafat Hussain.
The Sena, however, distanced itself from its leader’s comment saying it supports women’s entry in all the places where men are allowed.
Women activists working towards gender equality called the attempt to politicise and paint the rights movement in communal colour harmful to ‘democracy.’
“Ours is a fight for women’s rights and a fight to secure their constitutional guarantees. Rabid sloganeering is detrimental to democratic atmosphere,” said Mariyam Dhawale of the All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA). She added that the political parties involved were essentially strengthening orthodoxy.
