The Delhi Commission for Women chairperson Swati Maliwal on Thursday issued a notice to city’s Jama Masjid administration after the mosque banned the entry of women coming alone or in groups.
The mosque administration, however, has said that women can come with their husbands or their families but not alone.
The decision was taken after some incidents of “wrong things” being done by women were reported on the premises of the mosque, Jama Masjid’s Public Relations Officer Sabiullah Khan said. He said that women and girls were coming to the mosque as if it was a park, dancing on the premises, shooting videos for the social and making it a spot for dates.
“Jama Masjid is a place of worship and people are welcome for that,” Jama Masjid Imam Syed Ahmed Bukhari told PTI. “But girls coming alone and waiting for their dates... this is not what this place is meant for. The restriction is on that.”
The Delhi Commission for Women has said that the restriction are misogynistic and against the Constitution.
“Preventing women to freely enter and practice their religion in the mosque is highly discriminatory and an extreme regressive practice as a place of worship should be open to everyone regardless of their gender,” the notice said.
The women’s panel has sought details on the reasons for prohibiting the entry of women and girls “without male companions” in the mosque and the person responsible for the order. Maliwal has also sought a detailed action taken report on the matter by November 28.
“This is an unconstitutional step taken by them,” she told ANI. “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 the ban is removed.”
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