PUBLIC MEETING & PRESS INVITE
Nafrat ke Khilaf: Bekhauf Elaan
National Manifesto release by Grassroots Muslim Women Activists
Date: 27th March 2019 (Wednesday)
Time: 3:00 pm
Venue: Press Club, Delhi
Bebaak Collective (Voice of the Fearless), along with other grassroot groups that work on various issues including Muslim women’s rights from more than 10 states in India, are coming together for a press conference in Delhi on 27th March. We will present our manifesto, focusing on the Muslim community and gender issues, in the light of the upcoming General Assembly elections, 2019. This initiative is a first of its kind where grassroot-level groups and activists will come together to present their demands centring on Muslim women.
Due to the alarming decline in civil rights and liberties during the last five years, the marginalised communities have become a frequent target. There is no doubt that the socio-economic conditions of Muslims were deplorable even before the current government came to power, but now the space to negotiate with the state through rights assertions or independent commissions has drastically reduced.
The constant vilification of Muslims, under the current BJP-led government, has led to virulent attacks against them. The rhetoric of “cow protection” has led to manifold increase in targeted violence against Muslims and Dalits with the impunity of the government. In the name of “ghar wapsi”, forced reconversions are perpetrated by employing violent and unconstitutional means. The bogey of “love jihad” has infringed on the freedoms of young persons. The nation is being re-defined, with many such anti-Muslim, anti-Dalit, and communal campaigns, by the Hindutva brigade.
The BJP government has also strategically used Muslim women to polarise the community, and in their latest move adopted the Triple Talaq Ordinance thrice, which criminalises Muslim men. Without waiting for the Rajya Sabha to pass the Triple Talaq Bill, the ruling dispensation has not only undermined the Parliamentary process but also subverted the Supreme Court judgment that declared the practice of triple talaq as unconstitutional. This move targets the Muslim community in particular ways under the garb of “protecting Muslim women”, while depriving them of financial and social security.
Muslim women, working at the ground level all over the country, will share their experiences before releasing the manifesto. The speakers intend to talk about the rampant fear due to beef lynching, and the impact of hate propaganda in the everyday lives of women. They will elaborate on the unrelenting distress of Demonetisation on small-scale businesses and self-employment of Muslims as well as women losing their savings due to this arbitrary and authoritarian move. They will highlight the assault on young persons’ autonomy, and the neglect of substantive rights of Muslim women. We invite you to the release of our manifesto, hoping that you will cover this important initiative, and attend in solidarity with Muslim Women.
For further details, contact:
Hasina Khan (Maharashtra) – 9870162113
Shabina Mumtaz (Uttar Pradesh) – 9454002780
Reshma Vora (Gujarat) – 9998266072
Bebaak Collective (Voices of the Fearless) is a campaign group primarily functioning from Mumbai. This is a collective reading, learning, sharing and campaigning process initiated by women from marginalized sections and is fighting against fundamentalism and repressive forces from an intersectional feminist perspective.
Email: bebaakcollective@gmail.com
Also read: In Conversation With Bebaak Collective: Talking About Muslim Women’s Issues
