NGO persuades Muslim women to vote in Agra

An NGO here is working on persuading Muslim women voters to step out of their homes and exercise their franchise in the Lok Sabha elections.

Hindustani Biradiri, an NGO working for communal amity in the Agra region, has formed committees to sensitize and persuade Muslim women to vote. "We have been sending out groups of women activists to Muslim neighbourhoods to explain the value of votes and persuade the Muslim women to vote," Siraj Qureshi, NGO's president, told IANS Wednesday.

"We have observed that Muslim men are keen on voting, but their women do not like to go out and vote, as do other communities like the Dalits and other weaker sections." He said the NGO is not interested in "telling anyone who they should vote for".

"Our concern is to ensure that there is maximum participation of Muslim female voters, so that they feel part of the political processes. The feeling of alienation and the fear of suspicion can go only when people encash the opportunities that the Constitution gives them," he added.

Agra's Muslim population is around 2.50 lakh.