Will support women's entry in Haji Ali Dargah: Maharashtra govt tells High Court

Mumbai: Amid the raging debate over ban on females' entry into certain religious places across the country, the Maharashtra Government on Tuesday supported the entry of women in Haji Ali Dargah.

The government told the Bombay High Court that the entry of women cannot be prohibited into the shrine.

The court had earlier this month asked the Devandra Fadnavis-led government to give its opinion on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the decision of Haji Ali Trust to ban the entry of women in the sanctum sanctorum of the dargah.

With women trying to enter the sacred platform of the Shani Shingnapur Temple, Muslim women groups have also started protesting against restriction on their entry into the inner sanctum of Haji Ali Dargah in Mumbai.

Trustee of the Dargah, Rizwan Merchant had earlier backed the decision to not allow women to enter inside the inner sanctum, saying that entry is prohibited in view of their safety.