Women, including students, and the Muslim community in particular, took to the streets of Thane and Lucknow in India’s Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh states over the weekend to protest against an attack by Taliban militants on Malala Yousafzai.
In Thane, school girls and women took part in a rally against the attack on the 14-year-old Pakistani schoolgirl. They said Malala should be brought to India for treatment.
One of the protesting students, Faiza, said prayers were being offered for Malala’s speedy recovery, Zee News reported.
“She was one among us, I will pray to God for her speedy recovery. We want such people in our country who fight for the rights of the women. Mumbai people will pay for her medication. I am standing in support of her because I also hate militants,” said Faiza.
Malala is still fighting for her life after being shot by Taliban gunmen in Mingora on October 9 for speaking out for progressive education based on western mode of academics as for girls.
Talking to the reporters, protester Afshan said, “The reason we have staged such a big rally is because, we want to appeal to the prime ministers of India and Pakistan to get Malala in Mumbai… Malala initiated and took stand for the rights of schoolgirls, so we are with her and we pray to God for her.”
The attack on Malala has been condemned across the world and has fuelled ire among the people specially Muslim women, who have now taken to the streets for the rights of women.
Meanwhile, young students in Lucknow also took to the streets. Talking to reporters, a protester said the entire country was united against crime and injustice.
Islamist group, Ahle Sunnat, passed a fatwa condemning the Taliban who tried to kill Malala.