Mann Ki Baat: PM Modi says Muslim women can perform Haj without male guardian

He said "for decades, injustice was being rendered to Muslim women but there was no discussion on it"

NEW DELHI: In 2017’s final edition of Mann ki Baat, Prime Minister Modi said Muslim women can perform Haj without a male guardian. He added that the removal of the restriction of having a male guardian or 'mehram' may appear as a "small thing", but such issues "have a far-reaching impact on our image as a society"

A step that will benefit Muslim women. They can proceed on Haj without ‘Mehram.’ #MannKiBaat https://t.co/Ld7wy3Nx10

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 31, 2017

He said, "I am happy to note that this time about 1,300 Muslim women have applied to perform Haj without 'mehram' and women from different parts of the country, from Kerala to north India, have expressed their wish to go for the Haj pilgrimage,". The prime minister said he has suggested to the Ministry of Minority Affairs that they should ensure that all the women who have applied to travel alone be allowed to perform Haj. ALSO READ: After Kamala Mills fire, BMC demolishes structures at 314 sites & seals 7 hotels "Usually there is a lottery system for selection of Haj pilgrims but I would like that single women pilgrims should be excluded from this lottery system and they should be given a chance as a special category," he said. Soon after Modi's address ended, Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi tweeted that women seeking to travel alone for Haj will be kept out of lottery system and the 1,300, who have applied under the new rules, will be allowed to go for the pilgrimage.

After PM Shri @narendramodi Ji‘s suggestion, I assure that those about 1300 women, who have applied to go for Haj without “Mehram” (male companion), will be exempted from the lottery system and allowed to proceed on Haj. #MannKiBaat — Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi (@naqvimukhtar) December 31, 2017

Thanks to PM Shri @narendramodi Ji for mentioning in today’s #MannKiBaat, the decision of Minority Affairs Ministry to lift ban on women going for Haj without “Mehram” (male guardian).

— Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi (@naqvimukhtar) December 31, 2017