HC rejects plea to allow women in mosques

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala high court on Thursday dismissed a petition seeking entry of women in all mosques in the state even as a Muslim women’s rights outfit, drawing inspiration from the Supreme Court verdict permitting women of all age groups into the Sabarimala temple, a Kerala-based Muslim women’s right group said that it will move the apex court demanding the entry of women in all mosques.

A division bench of chief justice Rishikesh Roy and justice A K Jayakrishnan Nambiar rejected the plea saying the petitioner, state president of Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha Swamy Sai Swaroopnath, has failed to produce enough evidence to show Muslim women were being denied entry in mosques.

The petitioner contended that in the context of the recent verdict allowing women of all ages to the Sabarimala shrine, Muslim women should also be allowed to pray in all mosques. “Women were disgraced and discriminated against, which is against the Article 21 and 14 of the constitution,” the petition read. Muslim women are forced to wear purdah (veil) from head to foot so as to prevent others from seeing them and it is a move to segregate and degrade them, he contended.

Dismissing the plea citing “not enough evidence to show women were being denied entry in mosques,” the court observed that the verdict on Sabarimala will not be applicable in the present petition. If Muslim women feel they were discriminated, they are free to move the court, the bench said.

A north Kerala-based Muslim reformist forum, Nisa, said it will move the SC next week demanding women be allowed to offer prayers in all mosques and also be allowed to become imams also. Nisa president VP Zuhra said her organisation was in touch with like-minded people and will move the Supreme Court next week.