KOLKATA: The highest number of applications received by the Haj Committee of India from women who wish to go on Haj without a Mehram (male guardian), is from God’s Own Country, followed by Bengal.Prime Minister Narendra Modi , had on December 31, announced that his government would ensure that all the 1,300 Muslim women, who had applied would perform Haj, and be considered as special category. Kerala tops the list with 1,120 applications as of now, while Bengal stands second with 48 applications.Other states hardly figure in the list. Uttar Pradesh received 32 while Karnataka received 28 applications. States with high Muslim population–– Jammu and Kashmir and Assam –– received four applications each. And the number is the same for Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand.There was no application from Gujarat and Bihar as of now, according to the committee.Welcoming the steps taken by the Modi government, Tayyaba Afandi, member of the Haj Committee of India said, “This is a great effort by the government. The government would treat Muslim women who applied to go on Haj without male guardian as special category. Even though the rule was changed a few years back by the Saudi government, it could not be implemented here earlier.”“There are lots of religious restrictions on Muslim women. We are quaidbundi (inmates) in our society. So, women could not apply to travel to Mecca without a Mehram. Many could not go despite having resources because they could not manage to have a Mehram. We consider it a step forward to ensure women’s rights and empowerment ,” said Afandi, one of two women members in the committee.The women would be going in groups of four. From Bengal, 12 groups would travel to Mecca.“After the triple talaq bill , this is another step taken by the government for Muslim women. This is the first time in 70 years that Muslim patriarchs and fundamentalists are facing challenge,” said Prof Syed Tanveer Nasreen, an activist for the rights of Muslim women.Farida Biwi (60) from a remote village in South 24 Paragana district is excited and thrilled. “This had been my wish for long. There are some restrictions on us. I lost my husband years back. So, there was no way I could go on Haj. But this is like a dream come true. I have made new friends with whom I would travel,” she said.Fifty-five year old Halima Biwi said: “This is the first time I would travel to any place alone, without family members. I am so eagerly growaiting for the day.”Coordinator of Kerala Haj committee, Shajahan NP, said: “Keralite women have always been seen as the most independent and empowered. So, it is quite natural that Kerala contributes more than 90% to the list of Muslim women applicants. For years, we have seen that many Muslim women had this wish to go on Haj, but they could not. This time it is a break-free moment for them.