Miss Alone
Prime VIP
A 26-year-old woman, who was not allowed to climb up alone to the first storey of Charminar on Wednesday evening, took to social media to vent her ire. Guards had stopped her citing a rule in force since a girl's suicide a few years ago mandating that unaccompanied woman have to be escorted by a guard.
Japleen Pasricha, a Delhi-based feminist activist, narrated her "harrowing experience" on Twitter. "#Rant I went to #Charminar, but single women can't go up alone, they need to be accompanied, lest they commit suicide. #Hyderabad (sic)".
Speaking to TOI on phone on Thursday , she said that she was told of the rule after buying the ticket. "They first said the rule is binding and I am free to leave. But I stood my ground.They later asked me if I was from Hyderabad, and relented when I told them I'm from Delhi," she said.
Pasricha questioned why there were two sets of rule for men and women. "I have written to the ASI and tourism department but so far have got no response," she said.
Charminar conservation assistant Gopal Rao, however, said the issue was being blown out of proportion. 'We do not want to take chances and the rule is only for safety of our visitors. We either send a lady guard to escort unaccompanied women or send them as a group. The suicide is the reason for the rule," he said.
Japleen Pasricha, a Delhi-based feminist activist, narrated her "harrowing experience" on Twitter. "#Rant I went to #Charminar, but single women can't go up alone, they need to be accompanied, lest they commit suicide. #Hyderabad (sic)".
Speaking to TOI on phone on Thursday , she said that she was told of the rule after buying the ticket. "They first said the rule is binding and I am free to leave. But I stood my ground.They later asked me if I was from Hyderabad, and relented when I told them I'm from Delhi," she said.
Pasricha questioned why there were two sets of rule for men and women. "I have written to the ASI and tourism department but so far have got no response," she said.
Charminar conservation assistant Gopal Rao, however, said the issue was being blown out of proportion. 'We do not want to take chances and the rule is only for safety of our visitors. We either send a lady guard to escort unaccompanied women or send them as a group. The suicide is the reason for the rule," he said.
![[Hardeep]](https://www.unp.me/data/avatars/s/25/25527.jpg?1570213921){kind=avatar}