‘Hardliners don’t want Muslim women to meet PM in Kashi’

VARANASI : A social activist, Nazneen Ansari, alleged that some ‘hardliners’ were trying to inhibit Muslim women from attending a proposed dialogue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Varanasi on September 22.

The PM is scheduled to hold a dialogue with 700 Muslim women during his visit to Varanasi.

These hardliners also threatened to socially boycott the Muslim women if they attended the event, Ansari claimed. Ansari is planning to attend the dialogue with 100 Muslim women.

“At least five Muslim women received the threats ever since our plan to meet the PM became public. The hardliners visited the homes of these Muslim women and asked them not to attend the dialogue. They threatened to boycott the women socially, if they didn’t follow their words,” she said at a meeting at the office of the Muslim Mahila Foundation.

One Shabana said some hardliners visited her house and threatened her with social boycott. Rubina said she received a similar threat.

Asked why she didn’t lodge a complaint with the police, Ansari said she hoped the hardliners would mend their ways. If they don’t, she along with the women would lodge a complaint with police.

She said Muslim women were aware of their rights and they would call on PM Modi.

The district minority welfare department has held a meeting with aided and non-aided madarsa officials to hold preparations for the event.

At least five Muslim women received the threats . The hardliners visited these Muslim women and asked them not to attend the dialogue NAZNEEN ANSARI, Social activist