Women rally for a cause, spark row

Malappuram: Social media is witnessing a debate over freedom of women in Islam after a group of girls wearing hijab appeared in the campaign photo of a Welfare Party of India candidate in Ponnani.
The picture, which showed the group raising slogans and carrying a banner in support of M M Shakkir, the WPI candidate, became controversial after a section of Muslim groups came up with criticism that it was anti-Islam.Soon an abusive campaign against the girls began online, resulting in progressive Muslim groups throwing their weight behind the girls.
M M Shakkir said the girls who were part of the rally faced strong criticism from various corners and have been advised to stay away from such campaigns in the future.
Noorbina Rasheed, state women’s commission member and national general secretary of Women’s League, the women wing of Indian Union Muslim League, said her organisation cannot agree with the move to curtail political freedom of women. “Their participation in a rally shows that they are politically aware and the society should accept them instead of opposing and abusing them,” she said.
In her Facebook post, social activist and media person, V P Rajeena said that it is unfortunate that the clergy and various Muslim organisations are advising women to stay inside four walls.
“The verbal attacks on Muslim women who participated in election rally and the criticism showered on girls wearing purdah, who posed for a selfie with actor Prithviraj are symptoms of an anti-women community. We have many organisations for the welfare of Muslims. But they are unable to take a strong stand on the freedom of women. Those who are criticising girls for participating in election rally are not ready to advice the Muslim youth who raped a dalit girl recently,” she said.
V P Suhara, president of Nisa, a progressive women forum said that not a single mainstream Muslim political party is sincere in uplifting women as they don’t want them in public domain.
“Some parties are now using women in election rallies only as exhibits. Though there are many able leaders in Muslim League the party is not ready to field even a single woman candidate in state. The things are changing even in Islamic countries. But here political parties and religious leaders are still not ready to change their antiwomen mind-set,” she said.