RSS begins massive outreach to Muslim women ahead of UP polls

RSS leader Indresh Kumar presided over a meeting of MRM workers

ITDC INDIA EPRESS/ITDC NEWS R The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has launched a massive outreach programme to Muslim women in the poll-bound Uttar Pradesh.

As part of the move, senior RSS leader Indresh Kumar on Wednesday presided over a day-long meeting of the women wing of the RSS-affiliated Muslim Rashtriya Manch (MRM) in the national capital.

The meeting, which deliberated on various issues pertaining to empowerment and welfare of Muslim women, saw unveiling of a book, titled Dastan-e-Yogi, a biography of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

The book, unveiled by Kumar, is an Urdu translation of 'The Monk Who Became Chief Minister', authoured by Shantanu Gupta and released originally in 2017.

During the meeting, Muslim women thanked the MRM, court and the Modi government for giving them "freedom from the pain of instant triple talaq", RSS leader told reporters.

"The meeting concluded with the participants (Muslim women) raising a significant question that what have they got from the parties that they loved and voted for in past 60 years, other than backwardness, poverty, hunger, insult, unemployment, pain of instant triple talaq and hatred against the Hindus," he said.

"They thanked Muslim Manch, court and the government for freeing them from the pain of instant triple talaq and asked the other parties (in Opposition) whether they would re-enforce the instant triple talaq (if they are voted to power) or would let the practice remain scrapped," he added.

Later while speaking to PTI, Kumar, who is the RSS national executive member and founder of the MRM, said Muslim women will take the message from the meeting to the community through social media and various meetings in an effort show people "a correct picture" of the RSS and the BJP.

He claimed that Muslim women, who were "hurt" by the views of certain politicians on scraping and crminalisation of triple talaq two years ago, are once again hurt by their "immoral comments" on the Union government's move to increase the minimum age for marriage for women from 18 to 21.

The Muslim women believe that increasing the minimum age of marriage from 18 to 21 will give them opportunity to complete their higher education, at least up to the level of graduation, or acquire some skills which will help them support their family in future.

"When the message from this meeting will be carried forward through social media and meetings, naturally a correct picture of (the RSS and the BJP) will be there for everybody to see and there will be an impact everywhere,” he told PTI when asked if the meeting of the MRM's Muslim women wing will have any impact on the assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh.\

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who had announced in October that her party will give 40 per cent tickets to women in the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls due early next year, recently accused the rival parties of ignoring women, saying they started talking about them only after her party gave the slogan of "Ladki Hoon, Lad Sakti Hoon" (I am a girl and I can fight).