UP polls: No party has given ticket to Muslim women on 12 Prayagraj seats
PRAYAGRAJ: No party has fielded Muslim women at any of the 12 assembly seats of Prayagraj this time.
Kamar Jahan, 31, is the lone Muslim woman in the fray and is contesting as an independent from Allahabad (west) assembly seat. “Muslim women have become more aware of their rights and many of them are now active in politics. I was expecting a ticket from the Samajwadi Party,” said Sabiha Mohani, who has been active in politics for over two decades.
Hailing from a family of freedom fighter Maulana Hasrat Mohani, Sabiha along with hundreds of other Muslim women had staged anti-CAA protests at Mansoor Park. She was also at the forefront of protests over the Hijab row. Naseema Begum, is a specially-abled woman who had contested municipal corporation polls from Bahadurganj area. She had even received a letter of appreciation from Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi for her work for the poor during Covid-induced lockdown.
Her husband and local Congress leader Irshad Ullah said he had expected his wife would get to contest the elections. Razia Sultana and Sadaf Fatima are among women who have been active in the Congress.
“Political parties talk about rights of Muslim women and make promises for them. Some parties even spoke of relieving Muslim women from oppression. But, none offered tickets to Muslim women,” said Sara Ahmad, a young woman who led anti-CAA protests at Roshanbagh.
Aafreen Fatima, a former counselor at JNU said number of Muslim women in state assemblies, or in Parliament is almost nil in comparison to their population. AIMIM too has some Muslim women leaders like Parveen Qureshi, Shahana Begum. AIMIM spokesperson Afsar Mehmood said that party planned to field former MP Atiq Ahmad’s wife Shaista Parveen from Allahabad (west) assembly constituency.
“She opted out,” Mehmood said adding he didn’t know why she backed out.