Indian court gives women entry to inner sanctum of famous Mumbai mosque

NEW DELHI, Aug 27 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Women in India have the right to fully access a famous mosque in the city of Mumbai, a top court ruled on Friday, bolstering a nationwide campaign aimed at securing women their religious rights and allowing them entry into all places of worship.

Ruling on a petition filed by Muslim women’s rights activists who demanded entry to the men-only inner sanctum of the Haji Ali Dargah, a Mumbai High Court bench said the restriction violated women’s fundamental right to equality.

“Today the court is ruled in our favour and I am very thankful. It has been a hard fight over many years and we lost momentum as many women were concerned of what society would think of us,” Bibi Khatoon from the Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan, or Indian Muslim Women’s Movement, told reporters.

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