My voice that of all women: new minority panel member Sofiya

When Sofiya Ahmed was turned out of her house in the middle of the night with her month-old baby, she thought life had come to an end.
Life, instead, took a new turn for the commerce graduate, who went on to fight the practice of instant divorce and is now a member of the prestigious UP Minorities Commission.
With her story of immense grit and determination, Ahmed said she could now inspire others in a similar plight.
The 24-year-old woman recalled how she was forced out of her house in Kanpur one August night in 2016 with her 40-day- old infant.

"I was forced to leave my husband's house in the middle of the night. It seemed that life had come to an end," she told PTI.
But Ahmed, divorced by her husband who used the Triple Talaq method to break off ties, decided to battle on.

"The fight after that has been really hard," she said.
"For those who feel that the triple talaq is nothing big, they do not know the ordeal a woman faces when the onus of seeking maintenance, custody of child and all such things is on her," she said.
There is no support and help for them, and they have to knock the doors of the courts, she pointed out.

Ahmed said when she was waging her battle in court and leading a campaign against the practice of instant divorce followed by sections of Muslims, she was struck by the views of the BJP on the issue.
The BJP's movement against the practice prompted her to join the party in December 2016.
The Uttar Pradesh government yesterday made her a member of the Commission which will be headed by former MLC Tanvir Ahmed Usmani.
"I feel lucky and the feeling that I have been made a member of the minorities panel is yet to sink in. But I feel that I have got a platform and it will also inspire those facing hardships to continue their fight," said Ahmed, who was married into a political family.

"My voice will be that of other victims, too," she said.
Stressing that her party had acknowledged a woman's battle for self respect, she said it also proves that the BJP believes in giving a chance to those fighting over "real issues".
"I have been working with women all through in my personal capacity and women also backed me when I was contesting the case in the court," she said.
Ahmed said she felt her decision to join the BJP was vindicated the day the Supreme Court gave its verdict on triple talaq.
Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, she said he had delivered what he had promised and given hope to Muslim women.

The other members of the minority commission are Rumana Siddiqui, Syed Iqbal Haider, Suresh Jain Rituraj, Sukhdarshan Bedi, Manoj Kumar Masih, Afzal Chaudhary and Mohammad Alam.