Entry of women to Lucknow's Eidgah should be extended beyond Eid: Women's activist

New Delhi: Women right activist Shamina Shafiq on Thursday welcomed the Aishbagh Eidgah in Lucknow's decision to open doors for women to offer namaz on the occasion of Eid. She thanked the Imam of the Eidgah, Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farani Mahli, for the decision, but said it should not be restricted only to Eid. "It is a matter of great happiness that Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangi Mali has taken such a historic step. This should have been done much earlier. I am sure women will go to mosque in large numbers and prayer," Shafiq said. "But, it should not be restricted only for Eid, it should be implemented throughout the year. At least in Lucknow, every women should be able to go to Mosque and pray," she added. The Imam of the Eidgah had earlier said that a separate enclosure exclusively for women namazis was put in place in Taiyab Hall of Eidgah for the Eid-ul-Fitr namaz held on Thursday morning. Echoing similar sentiments, Bhumata Brigade activist Trupti Desai said it was a very big change and a big historical beginning. For the first time women were allowed to enter the mosques in Lucknow. The women are offering prayers there. It's a matter of great happiness. We had started the movement so that the Muslim women get this right. We want equality in temples, mosques and Dargah. This is a very big change. It will be a very big historical beginning," Desai said. Lucknow's famous Eidgah Aishbagh for the very first time opened its doors for women where they read the Eid-ul-Fitr namaz to celebrate the end of the Holy month of Ramazan. A separate enclosure was put in place for the women to offer Eid prayers. According to reports, the move comes at a time when instances of women being denied entry to Haji Ali Dargah and sanctum sanctorum at Shani temple in Maharashtra have made headlines with women organisations demanding equal rights on access to places of worship at par with their male counterparts.