Women in Islam are no better than footwear, says BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj

Lucknow: At a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trying to engage minority leaders to stress the inclusive nature of his government and minority affairs minister Najma Heptullah intends to launch skill-development programmes for minority communities, BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj, known for his offensive communal remarks, has triggered another controversy by saying “women in Islam are no better than footwear”.

The BJP spokespersons have gone silent and the party’s Muslim faces, which include Union minister M.A. Naqvi and spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain, were not available for any response.

Talking to reporters in his constituency Unnao on Saturday, the BJP MP, known for his venomous statements, said, “Women in Islam are no better than footwear — wear it when you want and throw it away when you do not want it. Women should be given the right to offer namaz in mosques and I demand judicial intervention to allow women to enter mosques.”