The Jama Masjid administration issued an order on Thursday banning the entry of women coming alone or in groups to the historical place in Old Delhi. However, there is no restriction on women coming with families or married couples.
"There is no restriction on girls/women coming with families, no restriction on married couples either. When women come alone, they indulge in improper acts, shoot videos. The ban is to stop this," ANI quoted PRO Sabiullah Khan as saying. "This cannot be a meeting point; people should not think of this place as a park or a spot to shoot TikTok videos. It's not right for any religious place — be it mosque, temple, or gurdwara," he said.
The notice has been put up at the entry gate of Jama Masjid. Speaking on the matter, General Secretary of RWA Jama Masjid Mohd Salman Qureshi said that it is not against any one gender. The decision has been taken to restrain boys and girls who come to a religious place like Jama Masjid, sit alone and do wrong things, and make video reels.
However, on being questioned about why only girls and not boys are restrained from entering the mosque alone, Qureshi said that in Islam, girls are not allowed to come to the mosque, but to maintain their respect, we do not stop them. Boys cannot be stopped. These notices have been put up only regarding the girls coming alone.
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Meanwhile, Delhi Women's Commission chairperson Swati Maliwal slammed the 'ban' on women entering Jama Masjid without families. "The decision to stop the entry of women to Jama Masjid is absolutely wrong. As much as a man has the right to worship, so also a woman. I am issuing notice to the Imam of Jama Masjid. No one has the right to ban the entry of women like this."