Poor have faced extortion during COVID-19: Activist Khalida Parveen in TNM interview

A prominent face during the anti-CAA, NRC protests in 2019, Hyderabad activist Khalida Parveen spoke to TNM about her initiative for COVID-19 victims, her plans to join politics, and more.
Khalida Parveen Interview
Khalida Parveen Interview
Written by:
Published on

Khalida Parveen, a social activist based out of Hyderabad, is known to have been an active protester against the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), and has always been vocal about a range of issues. At 65, she is extremely active on social media and uses the platform to reach out and connect those looking for ways to help the poor and the marginalised. 

The General Secretary of the Amoomat Society, a group working towards empowering Muslim women, Khalida exudes energy that is the envy of the younger generation. She is also a pharmacist by profession and can always be found in the forefront of issues for which she believes needs intervention in the interest of the people. 

TNM caught up with Khalida Parveen, who spoke on a range of topics, including her initiative to give a respectable service to the COVID-19 victims, her plans to join politics, and more. 

Here are the excerpts from the interview.
 

You had introduced a final rites service and joined hands with other teams to help give a respectful end to COVID-19 victims. How was your intervention necessitated?

I heard from the people that some of the ambulance services were charging Rs 20,000 to 30,000 to shift a COVID-19 victim’s body from the hospital to the graveyard. This made me worry about the poor who admit their kin in government hospitals. I wondered how they would be able to even pay Rs 10,000 when they couldn’t even purchase a saline bottle for the patient? The answer to my question was my action. We introduced a vehicle for the last journey and this was absolutely free. Many, including the government and the police department, appreciated this initiative. Serving society makes me happy and gives me satisfaction.

How do you receive the Bombay High Court’s judgment that observed that the foreign nationals who attended the Tablighi Jamaat event were virtually prosecuted for spreading the virus and made 'scapegoats' by political parties? The High Court had also criticised the media's propaganda.

Today, many of the media houses are under the pressure of political parties and often act as their spokespersons. The accusation on the Tablighi Jamaat attendees was one of them. Since 2014, the minorities and marginalised have been lynched by the media. Now that the court has made this observation, the media definitely owes an apology. They have hurt the sentiments of so many people. Because of their propaganda, the Tablighi Jamaat attendees were considered untouchables and were attacked as well. They have undergone severe trauma; hence an apology is necessitated. I thank the judiciary for bringing out the truth, though late, the truth has been revealed

You have been an active voice during the anti-CAA and National Register of Citizens (NRC) protests. Could you briefly explain why you believe the CAA and NRC are against our democratic rights?

I have always opposed the CAA because it is unconstitutional and undemocratic. It also violates the very Constitution of India. Our Constitution guarantees religious freedom and also safeguards it. How can the government of India issue citizenship in the name of religion? Speaking about NRC, the intention of the present government was nothing less than eliminating the vulnerable people. This is against democracy.

As COVID-19 eventually became the focus across the world, do you think the fight against CAA and NRC weakened and got diluted? Will there be a revival of the fight?

The effect of COVID-19 began in the month of January when Shaheen Bagh protests across India were at its peak. It was a necessity to fight against it. Saving humanity is the first priority and fighting for human rights only comes next. So, I don't believe that COVID-19 has diluted the anti-CAA movement. There is nothing like a revival, but if the state pressures the public for the same, then the movement will gain momentum again.

As an activist who has been vocal about a range of issues, what kind of difference do you visualise about post-COVID activism compared to pre-COVID times?

Activism has seen no change. As an activist, I have observed others, especially students of universities and female activists who have been continuing their efforts. After all, COVID-19 is just a mask and a mere reason to step away. The people on the ground, who have been working for the people from the beginning, have been continuing their work despite COVID-19. They followed all the safety protocols while continuing their efforts, hoping for a positive change.

When the pandemic was at its peak, you took a lot of effort to help the poor and the marginalized. How were your services essential to make a difference?

For the last 15-20 years, I have been serving society. I understand the ground realities. I can relate to the poor and marginalised as I closely interact with them. I began my efforts by cooking food for the needy during the lockdown. We would pack the food and distribute it to the nearby areas. There were a lot of people who were hungry and in dire need of help.

What are the challenges that women began to face during and after the extended lockdown?

The challenges faced by the woman during lockdown doubled as the men were always at home. No work and no money only added to their woes. This new routine made women’s lives miserable and quite often it also led to arguments. There was an increase in the cases of domestic violence, too. Suddenly, in many families, the financial burden also increased on women.

You had tweeted once about how the mandir and masjid have become the oxygen for Indian politics. Why do you feel so?

These days, people have begun to see through the situation. It is not only me, but many sensible and responsible citizens have realised about the current dirty Indian politics. Whenever the government wants to divert the attention of the people from a specific important issue, they issue statements about the mandir or the masjid. This helps divert the attention and media plays a major role in this attention-diverting tactic.

You once said, ‘Democracy is on the ventilator. Secularism is just a mask, the media is a fish market and the judiciary is like gloves on the hand and is soaked in blood’. What made you feel so? 

It is just not about me. This is a general perception today. Electronic Voting Machines are equivalent to democracy. When we talk about secularism, I am reminded of the Ayodhya judgment. The reference to the media was in regard to Arnab Goswami’s show. And the judiciary’s reference was with respect to the case of Justice Loya. 

Will we see you taking the political plunge in the near future? Won’t it help you do more for the poor and the marginalised?

I haven’t made any decision to join politics. If the time comes when I feel that I am unable to find people to support my initiatives, then I will definitely think about it. It all depends on the situation, the time and the circumstances. I will definitely promote the young and energetic people around me. If I don’t find anyone, then I won’t let it go, I will consider myself.

Subscriber Picks

No stories found.
The News Minute
www.thenewsminute.com