Jama Masjid shahi imam withdraws order barring entry of women; check details

In a recent development, the shahi imam of Delhi's Jama Masjid on Thursday (November 24) withdrew a controversial order restricting the entry of women in the mosque, after an outrage over the issue prompted Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena to intervene.

The notice by the mosque's administration read, "Jama Masjid mein ladki ya ladkiyon ka akele daakhla mana hai (The entry of a girl or girls is not permitted in Jama Masjid)."

"The LG spoke to me. We have removed the notice boards. But people visiting the mosque have to maintain its sanctity," Syed Ahmed Bukhari, the Shahi Imam of the Jama Masjid said.

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Speaking on the order, he had said, "Jama Masjid is a place of worship and people are welcome for that. But girls are coming alone and waiting for their dates. This is not what this place is meant for. The restriction is on that."

Jama Masjid PRO Sabiullah Khan said, "There is no restriction on girls/women coming with families, no restriction on married couples either. When women come alone, they indulge in improper acts and shoot videos. The ban is to stop this."

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"This cannot be a meeting point; people should not think of this place as a park or a spot to shoot TikTok videos. It's not right for any religious place — be it a mosque, a temple, or a gurdwara," he said.

The order invited backlash from several quarters, including the Delhi Commission for Women. The panel served a notice on the imam, seeking reason for such an order.

DCW chief Swati Maliwal said, "The decision to stop the entry of women into Jama Masjid is absolutely wrong. As much as a man has the right to worship, so does a woman. I am issuing notice to the Imam of Jama Masjid. No one has the right to ban the entry of women like this."

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• Jama Masjid
• Lieutenant Governor
• Masjid
• Syed Ahmed Bukhari
• VK Saxena
• Delhi Lieutenant Governor