“If government is worried about Muslim women, give us reservations” Fathima Muzaffer, Member AIMPLB says in Bhatkal

Bhatkal 7 January 2019: Fathima Muzaffer, member of All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) women wing who was on a visit to Bhatkal for the centenary celebrations of Anjuman Hami-e-Muslimeen Bhatkal, addressed a press conference here and spoke about how the government is compromising the constitution of India in the name of ‘Muslim women empowerment bill’. Addressing the press conference here at the Anjuman administrative building Fathima demanded reservations for Muslim women in Parliament, Job sector, Education sector and elsewhere if the government is worried about Muslim women’s empowerment. “Due to unemployment and poverty we are unable to send our children to schools, we are the least represented in all the government services, this is the real agony of the Muslims of India. Let them bring a bill which will give us representation, they are speaking about our empowerment, let them give us representation and reservation in all the government services and sectors” Fathima added. Answering a question by Bhatkallys.com staff about the AIMPLB’s efforts of holding talks with BJP leaders and women MPs like Sushma Swaraj and Smriti Irani, Fathima added that the organization has time and again sought appointments from these leaders and also from the President of India which have been repeatedly denied. “We have written an open letter to the President of India, which is also available on our website, seeking appointment of the president to discuss on this issue and also 18 months from then we didn’t receive any communication from the president’s office” “We have conveyed our message to the leaders of oppositions who have taken stand against the bill, we are thankful to them, but their efforts didn’t yield any result because of the numbers they have in the parliament” Fathima further added. Answering another question about the laws banning triple talaq in the Muslim countries, which the Modi government has been using as an argument in their favor Fathima said “First of all we are not the citizen of other countries, we are the citizens of India, so we are not bothered about what are the laws in other countries. Secondly, in other countries there are several procedures and regulations as Shariah law is the land of law in those countries, which is not the case in India. So we cannot compare laws of two different countries in two different scenarios”. Towards the end Fathima also spoke about how GST and demonetization played with the sentiments of people and the economy of the country. AIMPLB Bhatkal coordinator of women wing Nabira Mohtesham and Zareena Kola were also present during the press conference. (Bhatkallys News Bureau/ Ismail Zaorez)