Sir — Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his 39th Mann Ki Baat radio programme praised the efforts of Jammu and Kashmir student Anjum Bashir Khan Khattak who cracked State civil services examination. He said Khattak “It is an inspiration not only for the State but to the whole nation. He lost his home to militancy but despite all odds he cracked the civil service examination.” Militancy, verily, could only break his home but not his fighting spirit. Bravo.
In the same programme he later express his concern over Muslim women. He said, the Government has upheld a law which restricts Muslim women to perform Haj alone. Kudos to the Government of India for phasing out a tradition which was there for years — if a Muslim woman wants to go on Haj, she must have a ‘Mehram’ or a male guardian, otherwise she can not go on Haj. Indian women have come a long way in every sphere of life — assuming combat roles in armed forces, going on space missions, then why this discrimination?