Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh): A Muslim woman worker from the BJP Mahila Morcha in Aligarh installed a Ganpati idol at her home for Ganesh Chaturthi. Showing disappointment with her reverence for a Hindu God, the Muslim clerics issued a 'fatwa' against the woman. Reacting to this, a group of saints in Ayodhya have come forward to offer support to the woman. Stating that it is unconstitutional to stop anyone from following the religious practices of their choice, the saints highlighted the freedom of choice of worship and religion.
They further demanded action against the Maulana, who issued the 'fatwa', underlining that the country is run according to the Constitution and not through religious decrees. The saints have further demanded Prime Minister Modi's intervention in that regard. "Such Maulanas should be identified and acted against. People like him are creating danger to women by issuing Fatwas unnecessarily in such cases," one of the saints said.
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Acharya Satyendra Das, the chief priest of Ramlala, taking an altogether different stance on the matter, said there is religious sentiment in that Muslim woman as she knows Hinduism is the best of all religions. "Several Muslims believe that Hindus are their ancestors. If the woman installed Lord Ganesha at her house, she did it out of her personal religious belief. It is absolutely wrong to issue a Fatwa against her," he said.
Meanwhile, Jagadguru Paramhansacharya said woman's rights are challenged in Islam and a Muslim woman has equal rights to practice the religion of her choice as much as any man of any religion. "If the Muslim woman is worshipping Lord Ganapati, it is her free will. She should be provided with security and legal action should be taken against the person, who has issued the 'fatwa' against her," he said, further stirring up the controversy.
