Latest From Sakshi Maharaj: Women Are No Better Than Footwear in Islam

NEW DELHI: Controversy’s favorite child Sakshi Maharaj, BJP MP from Unnao, known for launching sallies on communal lines has again found himself in the headlines. This time he did so by making a divisive comment, yet again, when he said that Muslim women are not better than “pair ki jooti” of Muslim men.

Speaking on the ongoing issue of women demanding entry into temples, Maharaj said "The judiciary should intervene in the matters of Islam, in which women are considered “pairon ki jooti', jab zaroorat pade to pehenlo nahi to utar ke bahar phek do”.

“Muslim women are our mothers and sisters, they are also facing injustice.” He said.

Shahista Ambar, Chief of All India Muslim Personal Board, condemned the jibe as, “Vitriolic, Divisive, and hateful”, and added that she didn’t consider the statement worthy of a reply. She asked Maharaj to, “first research on Islam… it’s beyond me how come these kinds of people ever get to reach Parliament. Islam was the first religion to give voting to women 1400 hundred years ago… no one can marry a Muslim woman forcibly, her consent remains paramount”.

Meanwhile, Maharaj also said that country should be run according to Constitution and not fatwa.

Akhilesh Pratap Singh, Congress Spokesperson, also denounced the comments by Maharaj by advising him to look up RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat’s comments on women, who had, as Pratap said, called women “comfort givers”.

“He (Maharaj) is sullying the image of real saffron clad saints. First check within your own institution what they think about women… They are corrupt to the core with a criminal mindset,” said Pratap.

Maharaj is known to be making equally vitriolic remarks against the Muslim community in the past also. He had earlier said that the concept of “four wives and 40 children won’t work in India,” aiming the barb at the said community, and had also exhorted “Hindus” to reproduce more children to counter the ever increasing Muslim population.

This latest jibe from Maharaj has come in the wake of a temple entry controversy being played out at Ahmednagar of Maharashtra, where women are demanding entry inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple which they are prohibited to enter.