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| Muslim women under the banner of the Talaqi Mahila Sahayata Samiti stage a demonstration outside the collectorate on Monday. Telegraph picture |
Cuttack, Oct. 17: Dissatisfaction was writ large on the face of Khairun Bibi, who has been running from pillar to post to get maintenance money after her husband divorced her about three years ago.
The 45-year-old woman from Jagatsinghpur district has so far failed to register her voice against delay in disbursal of the money.
Protesting against inordinate delay in disbursal of maintenance money, hundreds of Muslim women — under the aegis of the Talaqi Mahila Sahayata Samiti — today staged a demonstration outside the collectorate.
The Samity members have threatened to launch an indefinite agitation if their demands are not met before October 20.
“I have been visiting the Wakf board office to seek the maintenance money for a couple of years. However, because of old-age ailments, I am not able to go to the office on a regular basis to follow up my case,” said Khairun Bibi.
Around 612 divorced Muslim women from different parts of the state receive Rs 400 a month towards maintenance. However, the women said they were not getting the amount on a regular basis.
The Orissa government had also made budgetary provision of Rs 44.35 lakh towards payment of maintenance to the eligible divorcee women for 2011-12 financial year. Moreover, 546 women have gained decrees from the court and are deemed eligible for getting the maintenance of Rs 400 a month.
“Despite the court order, administrator of the State Wakf Board, Sayed Ossatullah is taking no step to provide the dues to the women for the past six months,” said Samity president Sira Mirza.
Mirza said they had launched three demonstrations in protest against the functioning of the Wakf board official demanding his suspension. The Samity is also demanding 50 per cent reservation for women in the board, so that the problems of the talaqi (divorced) women could be addressed properly.
On the other hand, Ossatullah has refuted the allegations levelled by the Samity members. “Already 612 women are getting maintenance on a regular basis. Out of the rest 546 cases, we are investigating 100 cases. So far, we have found that 80 per cent of such cases are fake,” said Ossatullah.