Bombay High Court lifted the ban on women's entry into the sanctum sanctorum of the Haji Ali Dargah.
Two days after the Bombay High Court verdict, activist Trupti Desai visited Haji Ali Dargah on Sunday afternoon and offered a çhaddar as thanksgiving. She also requested the trustees to support the court verdict.
After offering prayers, Desai along with other women sat down inside the dargah for 10 minutes. Expressing her view, Desai said: "We are not fighting against any community; we are fighting for our rights. Last time when we came, we prayed that the High Court verdict should be on our side. Now that the verdict is out, we have come here to offer 'çhaddar' and seek blessings."
Bombay High Court has lifted the ban on women's entry in the sanctum sanctorum of the dargah. However, the sanctum sanctorum will be open to women only after six weeks.
Desai added that the trustees can go ahead and move Supreme Court. "We are no one to stop them. The High Court has given a historic judgement. We request the trustees to follow this verdict. But if they want to go to SC, they can go ahead," said Desai.
The trustees are not happy with the decision. Abdul Sattar Merchant, chairman of the Haji Ali Trust, said: "Islam does not allow women to go inside the shrine. It also does not allow women to visit graveyards, and the inner sanctum is a grave. One can stand a few meters away and pray too. Why do they need to touch it? They came and offered prayer and gave the chadar to Khadim. We don't have a problem with that."
The Bhumata Brigade had ealier managed to win their fight at the famous Shani Shingnapur temple in Ahmednagar and Trimbakeshwar temple in Nashik. After their success at Haji Ali, Desai's next step is to fight for women's right to pray at Sabarimala temple in Kerala. "Girls between the ages 10-50 years are not allowed inside the shrine for Lord Ayyappan in Kerala. Our next fight will be for the right to pray in Sabarimala temple," she informed.
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