Banu Mushtaq Is More than a Writer, Say Her Friends
Leelavathi recalled communal tension in Arasikere of Hassan some years back and said she and Banu Musthaq strived hard to bring harmony.
Bengaluru: International Booker Prize winner Banu Musthaq is more than a writer and known for her struggles against injustice to women to resolve communal tensions. From facing a fatwa against her once issued by clerics, Banu Mushtaq also had a love-hate relationship with the police.
Her associate in the women’s fight for justice, journalist Leelavathi, a resident of Hassan, told Deccan Chronicle she and Banu Mushtaq have been associated in various protests for close to 35 years and recalled the struggle undertaken by them in ensuring justice for women and also in maintaining communal amity.
Leelavathi recalled communal tension in Arasikere of Hassan some years back and said she and Banu Musthaq strived hard to bring harmony. “I used to approach Hindus and when it came to Muslims Banu would take the lead. They were successful in building the confidence of people,” said a long associate of Banu Musthaq.
Leelavathi said she and Banu rendered justice to aggrieved women in majority and the success rate would come to 98 percent in the cases they attended. Such was the fame of Banu Musthaq, Leelavathi said, women in distress suffering from domestic violence, injustice from siblings among others used to reach out to Banu seeking justice.
Her friends, on condition of anonymity, said Banu Musthaq was served fatwa over her writings in newspapers. Her writings were focused on women’s equality especially related to Muslims.
She said in her struggle for justice for women, Banu Musthaq, had to face tough times even from police in certain cases particularly in dealing with a case related to a pregnant woman of Mumbai.
Suvarna, also another Banu Musthaq’s associate for close to two-decades in Hassan, said Banu Musthaq led a protest against former Lok Sabha member Prajwal Revanna, an accused in sexual exploitation of several women.
She said when Prajwal Revanna was out of the country evading arrest from the police over sexual exploitation charges against him, Banu Mushtaq demanded the accused be arrested and face action for his acts.