Earlier this year, the Haj committee of India reviewed the Haj policy and made a new set of recommendations. It framed a new policy by allowing women to embark on the pilgrimage without a Mahram (male escort). The new policy allowed women below 45 years to go on Haj without a Mahram following which around 1,100 women applicants left for Mecca. Welcoming this move, the CPI(M)-led Kerala government appointed L Sulaika as the first woman member of the state Haj committee.
L Sulaika will serve as the first woman in the state Haj Committee for the next two years
Sulaika assured that during her tenure, she will focus on meeting the concerns of women pilgrims to Mecca. She emphasized that she is hoping the women will get more representation in the coming years. She said, “Ensuring the representation of women in the Haj committee, like any other area, is the need of the hour. Women can do a lot in matters relating to their gender.”
Elated with the opportunity, she said: “The decision by the LDF government gives me immense pleasure and I am glad to serve the committee.”
Apart from Sulaika, the new committee has 15 other members. The members also include two ex-officio members.
Recently, in the month of June 2018, Union ministry of minority affairs had appointed Moina Benazir as the first female Haj coordinator. Moina is an Indian defence accounts services officer. She is the first woman to have been designated as the Haj coordinator by the Union ministry of minority affairs.
Also Read: New Policy Sees Increase In Female Applicants For Haj
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Deepali Is An Intern With SheThePeople.TV