Hundreds of Muslim men and burka-clad women from across the state, and beyond, gathered here today to protest against a proposed bill to abolish the practice of instant triple talaq in Islam.
While the protesters were joined by the cause and the faith, they were separated by their gender -- curtains between male and female protesters, and separate microphones and daises for them.
All the female participants had their burkas on and those who addressed them had also their faces covered in the traditional Islamic way.
They said they saw the proposed bill, which has already been passed by the Lok Sabha, as an "assault" on the Shariyat, and by separating men and women this way they wanted to emphasise their firm belief in the "ideals formulated by preachers of pious ideology".
The arrangements were in accordance with Islamic traditions, said one of the organisers, explaining the symbolism.
Mufti Zahid Ali Khan of Aligarh alleged, The present government intends to destroy our pious traditions by exhibiting false sympathies (towards women).
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The bill passed by the Lower House is called The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017' and it lists its objective as to protect the rights of married Muslim women and to prohibit divorce by pronouncing talaq by their husbands.
The Mufti said that thousands of widows in Kashi and Mathura have been left "without proper protection" but instead of helping them out, the government was making "attempts to interfere in our Shariyat".
In an apparent derision of the concept of live-in relationship, he said, "It's a conspiracy to allow the society to live in relationship like husband and wife which is unethical and against our ideals formulated by preachers of pious ideology.
He urged Muslims to unite against the "plans to attack the Islamic faith, traditions and directives of Shariyat and defeat the interference".
Professor Tahmin Athar from Hydrabad said, Any alteration in the Shariyat is neither permissible nor tolerable."