Muslim women of India unite against mob lynching

New Delhi: Muslim women from different parts of the country on Wednesday gathered in the national capital urging the 'secular' political parties in the country to add in their manifesto the need to have a law against mob lynching.

The women, who launched a detailed 39-point manifesto also demanded that Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Ordinance, 2019 must be scrapped.

They also asked for 33 per cent reservations for women to increase their political representation in the Parliament. They also wanted an increase budgetary allocations for girls and women-related interventions.

The women from at least 10 states, under the banner of 'Bebaak Collective' (voice of Fearless) came together to release the manifesto listing their demands related to gender equality, minority safeguard and citizenship rights.

Among the women was also Khalida, wife of Umar Khan, who was allegedly lynched in 2017 in Alwar, months after dairy farmer Pehlu Khan was lynched in the area.

The manifesto demanded formulation of a diversity index across public and private sectors to determine the extent of under-representation of Muslims, 10 per cent reservation to Muslims in higher education and government jobs and a gender-just law in Muslim Personal Law.

They also demanded monetary benefits for single women, introduction of a communal violence bill to bring perpetrators to justice and redrafting of Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2016.

"All anti-conversion laws should be scrapped," it added.