Gender rights activist Trupti Desai’s much-publicised threat to enter the iconic Haji Ali dargah at Worli in south Mumbai proved to be damp squib on Thursday, with the Bhumata Rangranai Brigade (BRB) convenor and her supporters making a hasty retreat after seeing scores of protesters who had gathered to block entry inside the revered Sufi shrine.
Desai, who had earlier in the day made now-familiar noises like “we will not leave unless we enter the dargha”, arrived at the causeway near Haji Ali at 4.30 pm. There were already a large number of Muslim protesters, who had gathered there since noon to block her entry inside the shrine.
Not wanting to let chances, the police personnel deployed there in sizeable numbers stopped her from going inside the shrine, the sanctum sanctorum of which is out of bounds for women. Apparently unnerved by the presence of a large of Muslim youths, mostly supporters of Maharashtra’s Samajwadi Party chief Abu Azmi who had threatened to physically throw out the gender activist if she were to force her way inside Haji Ali, Desai left the spot quietly.
As a face-saver, Desai told media persons that she had come to stage a “peaceful agitation” to assert women’s right to go up to the core area (Mazaar) of the dargah. She said that she had no intention whatsoever to hurt religious sentiments of anyone but was only trying to make sure that women are given equal rights to pray in all places of worship.
However, upset with her not being able to gain entry inside the core worship area of Haji, Desai later threatened to stage a sit-in dharna in front of Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis’ official bungalow “Varsha” at Malbar Hills. However, she and her supporters were detained by the Gaodevi police later in the evening.
Earlier, when media persons questioned her as to why she was staging a protest when the matter was sub-judice, Desai said: “ It is not a question of being in a hurry. The matter is pending in the court since 2012. If women can be allowed to enter other places of worship, the same should be done in Haji Ali too”
Maintaining that her agitation for right to equality for women at places of worship in not linked to any religion, Desai said: “It’s not about any religion. I am doing this for gender equality. Rules should the same for both men and women.”
Earlier in the day, Desai had tried to drum up support for her agitation by daring Bollywood celebrities like Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Aamir Khan on the gender equality issue.
Desai -- who had in the past shown considerable exuberance when she led women activists to the temples of Shani Shingnapur and Trimbakeshwar and contributed in a big way to create a situation that facilitated the entry of women in three famous temples across the state – was not her usual self.
Given that she had achieved success in temples which came under the purview the Maharashtra Hindu Place of Worship (Entry Authorisation) Act 1956 and that the litigation pertaining to the entry of women inside Haji Ali is pending before the Bombay High Court, Desai appeared to be on the back foot right from the beginning.
In addition, AIMIM leader Haji Rafat Hussain had threatened to smear black ink on Desai if she attempted to enter Mumbai’s Haji Ali Dargah.
Though Desai’s supporters had turned out in the neighbourhood of Haji Ali carrying placards like “Haji Ali Dargha for all”, “ Haji Ali Sab Ke liye”, “Equality means equal access” and “Dharma Ke Kekedar Dharmasthan Ko Mukth Karo”, they were outnumbered by protesters who appeared to be very aggressive and appeared to hve come fully prepared to prevent the BRB activists from entering the shrine.
Given that the high court has not given its ruling on petitions seeking entry of women inside Haji Ali, the state government had its job cut out—that Desai would not be allowed inside the shrine.
This is despite the fact that the BJP-led Maharashtra government had told the high court early this year that it was in favour of the women entering the sanctum sanctorum of the Haji Ali dargah.
The high court had at one stage – January 18 this year – had bought some more time to give its ruling on a petition challenging the ban on the entry of women into the sanctum sanctorum of the Haji Ali dargah here, saying that it would wait for the Supreme Court’s verdict on the entry of women in Sabarimala temple of Kerala.
It may be recalled that fresh from the success of having entered the core worship areas of Shani Shingnapur and Mahalakshmi temple at Kolhapur, Bhumata Rangranai Brigade (BRB) convenor Trupti Desai April 20 joined a campaign launched by several organisation and prominent personalities to demand entry inside the sanctorum sanctorum of Haji Ali.
Desai’s agitation should be seen in the context of her thee-month agitation seeking entry women inside the core worship areas of famous temples like Shani Shingnapur, Trimbakeshwar and Kolhapur Mahalakshmi and a favourable directive given by the Bombay High Court on April 1.
In its landmark ruling, a HC division bench of Chief Justice D H Waghela and Justice M S Sonak had said: “The acting Advocate General has assured the court that the government is against gender discrimination. Keeping in view Article 14, 15 and 25 of the Constitution of India, the government can take pro-active steps to ensure that the fundamental rights of a citizen are fully realised and not allowed to be encroached upon by any authority”.
Hearing a public interest litigation filed by senior advocate Nilima Vartak and activist Vidya Bal challenging prohibiting the entry of women in the Shani Shingnapur temple, the HC bench had also directed the secretary of Maharashtra’s Home Department to ensure that the policy and purpose of the Maharashtra Hindu Place of Worship (Entry Authorisation) Act 1956 “is fully carried out, and directions are issued to all district collectors and Superintendents of Police”.
The women activists have since then entered the core worship areas of Shani Shingnapur temple in Ahmednagar district, Mahalakshmi temple at Kolhapur in western Maharashtra and Trimbakeshwar temple in Nashik district of north Maharashtra.