HC seeks Centre's reply to PIL for entry of women into Nizamuddin shrine

The court was hearing a plea by three women law students, who claimed that the dargah does not permit entry of women into the shrine.
Delhi's Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah. (Photo | ANI)
Delhi's Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah. (Photo | ANI)

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Monday sought the responses of the Centre, the AAP government and the police on a PIL seeking the entry of women into the sanctum sanctorum of the Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia Dargah.

The three parties were asked to submit their response by April 11, 2019.A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice VK Rao also issued a notice to the trust managing the dargah (shrine), but made it clear that they were awaiting the Sabarimala review verdict before further hearing the case.The Supreme Court, which had allowed the entry of women of all ages into Kerala’s Sabarimala temple,  is hearing a review petition in the case.

In their PIL, three women law students claimed that the dargah does not permit entry of women into the shrine. They contended that Nizamuddin Dargah is a public place and prohibiting women from entering the shrine is gender discrimination and, thus, highly unconstitutional. The plea cited the example of two major Muslim shrines — Haji Ali Dargah in Mumbai and Khwaja Moinuddin Dargah in Ajmer — that allow entry of women.

The petition, filed by advocate Kamlesh Kumar Mishra, claims that there is a notice put up outside the dargah — a shrine built over the grave of a religious person — clearly stating in English and Hindi that women are not allowed inside.

The law students contended that they made several representations to authorities but no response was received and, therefore, they moved to the high court.

Revered by all, dargah a major pilgrimage site

Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah is the mausoleum of Sufi saints, Hazrat Khwaja Syed Nizamuddin Auliya (1238 - 1325 CE). The Dargah is visited by thousands of Muslims every week, and sees a fair share of Hindus, Christians and people from other religions. 

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