SURAT, Dec 3: Zehra Cyclewala, who has been boycotted by her Dawoodi Bohra community, took up the matter with the State government by submitting a memorandum to Minister of State for Home Haren Pandya, during his day's visit to Surat on Thursday.She alleged that the community members were harassing women in the name of the religious head Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin. When someone raises voice against the wrong practices, he or she has to face social boycott, an essentially illegal measure, she alleged.
A detailed memorandum was also submitted to the chief minister. Despite bringing the alleged evil practices and her boycott by the community members to the notice of the religious head, through a letter, he did not grant her audience. Measures like a three-day dharna followed by an indefinite fast by her supporters did not cut ice with Syedna, she pointed out.
Instead of doing justice to her, the religious head preferred to spend his time at Zampa Bazaar instead of his winter residence in Nanpura. She requested the chief minister and the home minister to intervene in the matter and bring the jamaat committee and her across the table for ending her boycott. If the state government failed to intervene, she might be forced to undertake a fast in Gandhinagar, the memorandum added.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.