Progressive Dawoodi Bohras

One Memunabai, daughter of Rajabali Bagpurwala, residing at Udaipur appeared as a witness before the Commission and the substance of what she said is reproduced below:

"The reformerists in Udaipur have raised their voice and have started working for reforms since 1970. Ever since then I have been on their side because they work for the welfare of community only and for reforms. We are five sisters and two brothers out of whom one brother and one sister are not with reformists. By the orders of the Sayedna, Baraat has been declared against us so that those of our relations who are with and the orthodox section have got to break all relations with us and they should not even be on speaking terms with us.

"If they try even to speak to us or to keep relations, Baraat would be declared against them also. They not only break relations with us on account of instigation of the priestly class, but a kind of resentment is spread against us the effect of which is that the orthodox followers indulge even in assaulting and beating us without any reason. My uncle's son Sajjad Hussain once assaulted me and my mother without any reason except that we are with the group of Bohra Youth Association.

"My father's shop is in Vagpura Village . He is old and his eyes have lost much of their vision. On 13th April, 1975 my brothers Shabbir Hussain died by an accidental fall in a well. My father was at the shop in the village. In our house there were just women and no men. I called my brother Nisar Hussain who is with the orthodox section and therefore was always keeping away from us. He went to the Amil Shaikh Ismail Khanjar in order to ask him whether he should go to our place. Amil strictly prohibited him from going to his father's place and from attending burial ceremony. He could not even give his shoulder to the bier.

"My sister Shirin who has been married to a man who is a supporter of the orthodox section wanted to see her brother's face for the last time and so rushed down to our place. The result was that her husband prohibited her from returning to the matrimonial home. He told her that by going to the residence of our father who was a reformist she had polluted herself. In this way she was prevented from returning to her home for six months and after compelling her to express repentance and to give misaq again she was allowed to return. Since then I have not been able to see her face. She is not allowed even to pass by our house. In 1976 when my sister Sakina was married, Shirin was not allowed to attend the marriage."

Women attacked in a mosque

Memunabai further told the Commission:

"I was an eye witness to the well known incident which occurred in Moiyadpura mosque on 18-1-1975. The heart-rending scene which I saw on that day can never be forgotten. On that day in the morning when reformists were listening to Majlis of Imam Hussain, people belonging to orthodox section entered the mosque with canes and iron rods and started attacking. Even women were not spared from this attack. Many men and women were wounded. I have never seen such murderous attack in my life. Women started screaming and weeping. They were being beaten and abused and being dubbed as enemies of the Daawat. They were being pushed down. One young child was thrown from the first floor of the mosque to the ground. I was also pushed by one person and made to fall down. All this was the result of the instigation by the priestly class, the attackers said."