Haji Ali Dargah case: Expect a 'pro women' verdict from Bombay HC, says Trupti Desai

Trupti Desai expects a pro-women verdict from the Bombay High Court in the case of the ban on women's entry inside the sanctum sanctorum of Haji Ali Dargah.

Pune: Bhumata Brigade chief Trupti Desai has expressed hope that the Bombay High Court will pronounce its verdict in favour of women in the case of the ban on women's entry inside the sanctum sanctorum of Haji Ali Dargah that has been put in 2011.

Desai was quoted as saying by ANI that the ban on women's entry inside the sanctum sanctorum of Haji Ali Dargah had been put in effect in 2011.

"We want that women should be given permission to enter the Haji Ali dargah. We have protested for it as well, and I believe that courts verdict will be historic and in the favour of women. Because till 2011 women were allowed all of a sudden their entry inside the Dargah was banned. I believe that the court will establish equality," said Desai.

The Bombay High Court is set to pronounce its verdict on a petition filed by a women's group challenging ban on entry of women inside the sanctum sanctorum of Haji Ali dargah in the city.

Desai's efforts to enter the dargah were foiled by policemen and local residents on April 28.

The activist -- who had successfully campaigned against the ban on women entering the Maharashtra's Shani Shingnapur temple -- had planned to enter the dargah, one of the foremost Muslim shrines, which does not allow women in its core area.

The high court will hear a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by activists Noorjehan Niaz and Zakia Soman of the Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan urging the court to lift the restrictions imposed somewhere between March and June 2012 by the Haji Ali Dargah Trust.

The state had supported the entry of women saying that the trust would have to prove that banning entry of women is singularly essential to the practice of Islam.

The trust had claimed that separate arrangements are made for women who are allowed up to a certain point from where they can offer prayers but they cannot touch the tomb of a male saint as it is a sin in Islam.