Even as we usher in a new age when women finally have equal access to places of worship, there are those who seek to drag womankind back to the dark ages in the name of religion. There is now a four-minute video going viral of the spiritual leader of the Dawoodi Bohra community, Syedna Muffadal Saifuddin, endorsing the vile practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), or khatna as it is called.

However, his remarks were met with huge disappointment amongst the Bohra community. In a report in this paper yesterday, we saw that even though the Syedna may continue to push for this repulsive practice, opposition against it is growing. Moreover, that opposition is taking a united, organised stand, like the University Women’s Association in Pune, which recently held a meet to discuss this.