The Shahi-Imam of Ahmedabad’s Jama Masjid said he was strongly opposed to the idea of giving voting cards to women and that those who do so would weaken Islam.
Ahmedabad, UPDATED: December 4, 2022 5:51 PM IST
He asked if there weren’t any more men giving voting cards to women. (screen grab)
From India Today Web Desk: Shabbir Ahmed Siddiqui, the Shahi-Imam of the Jama Masjid in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad, said those who give voting cards to Muslim women are against Islam and weaken the religion. Speaking to the ANI news agency, he further asked, “Aren’t there any men you bring women to?”
Speaking about the idea of weakening Islam, he mentioned the Hijab protests in Karnataka and said: ‘If you make women MLAs, ministers and councillors, what will happen? this problem.” He said that if the issue were brought up before the government now, they would reply, “But your wives appear in assembly halls, in parliament, sit on local councils.”
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He said he strongly opposes the idea of giving women tickets because if they voted and spoke to everyone, regardless of their religion, they would have to campaign door-to-door.
He added that he would have understood if political parties had been helpless and had to abide by laws reserving seats for female candidates.
Taking the example of female candidates in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections, he said: “To my knowledge, they believe that women control things these days. So if they trap the women, they can trap the whole family. I see no other motive behind their decision.”
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Edited by:
Chingkheinganbi Mayengbam
Published on:
December 4, 2022