At a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trying to engage minority leaders to stress the inclusive nature of his government and minority affairs minister Najma Heptullah intends to launch skill-
At a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trying to engage minority leaders to stress the inclusive nature of his government and minority affairs minister Najma Heptullah intends to launch skill-development programmes for minority communities, BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj, known for his offensive communal remarks, has triggered another controversy by saying “women in Islam are no better than footwear”.
The BJP spokespersons have gone silent and the party’s Muslim faces, which include Union minister M.A. Naqvi and spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain, were not available for any response.
Talking to reporters in his constituency Unnao on Saturday, the BJP MP, known for his venomous statements, said, “Women in Islam are no better than footwear — wear it when you want and throw it away when you do not want it. Women should be given the right to offer namaz in mosques and I demand judicial intervention to allow women to enter mosques in the same manner that women were recently allowed entry into the Shani Shignapur temple.”
He added that “Muslim women are our mothers and sisters and they are also facing injustice. The manner in which the judiciary is intervening in the matters of Hindus, it should also intervene in matters related to Islam”.
The BJP MP said the country should be run by the Constitution, and not by fatwas.
Sakshi Maharaj also lashed out at Shankaracharya Swaroopanand Saraswati for his recent statements and said that the latter was “inspired” by the Congress and was issuing statements designed to divide society. He challenged the Shankaracharya to a debate with him.
The BJP MP also urged Prime Minister Modi to make effective laws banning cow slaughter and capital punishment for offenders in such cases within 72 hours.
