The letters were given to the media through a collective Sahiyo, which is seeking a ban on the practice of Khafz.
A group of women from the Dawoodi Bohra Community released letters addressed to Dawoodi Bohra Women's Association for Religious Freedom (DBWRF) stating why FGM should be banned. The letters were given to the media through a collective Sahiyo, which is seeking a ban on the practice of Khafz.
"Women from the DBWRF say that Khatna/Khafz is performed for the purpose of hygiene. Well, according to the World Health Organisation, personal hygiene refers to maintaining body's cleanliness. So my personal hygiene should be my personal choice and only my individual decision," read the letter.
When contacted, the women who have written the letter said on the condition of anonymity that DBWRF would not have paid any heed to the letter and hence they were addressing the same through the press.
Another letter stated that though some girls may not be physically or emotionally hurt by khatna, others are, and that also counts. Expecting a child to lie still while someone touches her private part is "ridiculous" and that it should be banned for children and only after consent on adults.
In a press statement DBWRF said, "We are very clear that Khafz is a practice based on an integral and essential religious tenet. If there is any person who does not want to do it, that is entirely her decision. However, for those who want to fulfill every single tenet of our religion, this cannot be denied. A mother would never do anything which would harm her child and all decisions of a parent are taken in the best interests of his / her child, including those concerning religious practices and cleanliness. There is thus no question of khafz being imposed upon anyone from the community as there is no sanction if not done. It is a misnomer and a misconception that Khafz is a ‘ticket to be accepted and marriageable’. Khafz is performed exactly as prescribed in the religious texts. In our religion, circumcision is gender neutral and is prescribed to be done at the earliest, both for males and females. Just as male circumcision is performed at birth, female circumcision is performed at the age of 7 in accordance with the religious texts."
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