Trupti Desai dubs women's entry in Lucknow mosque 'historical beginning'

Pune: Welcoming the entry of women in Lucknow's Aishbagh Eidgah on the occasion of Eid, Bhumata Brigade activist Trupti Desai on Thursday said it was a very big change and a big historical beginning.

"For the first time women were allowed to enter the mosques in Lucknow. The women are offering prayers there. It's a matter of great happiness. We had started the movement so that the Muslim women get this right. We want equality in temples, mosques and Dargah. This is a very big change. It will be a very big historical beginning," Desai said.

Wishing the women on the occasion of Eid, Desai lauded the step of the trustees and called it a 'historical step'.

"The step taken by the trustees of Lucknow is a historical step. All other trustees should follow it," she added.

She said the Bhumata Brigade felt encouraged by this step of the Lucknow trustee.

"Somewhere, we got support through this. It's a very big beginning. If women are given equality everywhere, then I think our movement will very soon become successful," she added.

In an unprecedented move, Lucknow's famous Eidgah Aishbagh for the very first time opened its doors for women where they read the Eid-ul-Fitr namaz earlier today to celebrate the end of the Holy month of Ramazan.

A separate enclosure was put in place for the women to offer Eid prayers.

According to reports, the move comes at a time when instances of women being denied entry to Haji Ali Dargah and sanctum sanctorum at Shani temple in Maharashtra have made headlines with women organisations demanding equal rights on access to places of worship at par with their male counterparts.