Roohi Khan, an officer from the Madhya Pradesh state administrative cadre was earlier a deputy commissioner in the Madhya Pradesh Rojgar Guarantee Council and is on deputation to the Central Haj committee.
The appointment of a woman civil servant as a deputy chief executive office of the Central Haj Committee in Mumbai has met with opposition from Muslim groups who said the appointment of a woman as a Haj officer was against the tenets of Islam.
Roohi Khan, an officer from the Madhya Pradesh state administrative cadre was earlier a deputy commissioner in the Madhya Pradesh Rojgar Guarantee Council and is on deputation to the Central Haj committee.
The Central Haj Committee, based at Haj House near Crawford Market, coordinates the annual Haj pilgrimage from India. Ever since posts of deputy chief executive officers were created four years ago, it is the first time a woman has been appointed there.
Khan was not available for a comment, but her senior, Dr S Shakir Hussain, chief executive officer of Central Haj Committee said, "Those opposing her appointment are entitled to their views. We are run by the Indian constitution. India is run by law and the constitution. The Indian constitution does not discriminate between men and women."
Maulana Saeed Noori of Raza Academy said that while they have no issues about women heading other organisations, they are opposed to a woman officer in the Haj Committee. "It is against the tenets of Islam and Muslims may not want to interact with a woman Haj officer as it is like committing a sin before going on Haj.
Even some of the non-executive members of the Haj Committee have expressed their reservations about Khan's appointment. Maulana Mustkim Azmi, member of the Haj Committee said while there are women clerks in the Haj Committee, it was the first time a woman is occupying a senior post in the body. "A woman should not have been brought to the Haj Committee since it deals with matters of religion,' said Azmi.
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