New Delhi: The Dawoodi Bohra community has been advised to abstain from using western toilets and switching to Indian-style ones. The spiritual leaders have further asked the community to avoid grand weddings.
The advisory was issued to community members under its third annual ‘upliftment drive’ in Maharashtra, reported News 18.
“Using western-style toilets is alien to our culture. Moreover, it is an accepted fact that using Indian toilets has certain medical benefits. It is all part of the much wider ongoing upliftment and awareness drive. No one is being forced to change, let alone a person who needs to use a western toilet due to any medical condition. It has been acknowledged that some senior citizens may find it difficult to use Indian-style toil,” Bohra leaders stated.
The community leaders, Dr Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin encouraged its members to spare their time for volunteering in their ‘upliftment drive’.
The advisory also asks its members to use community venues for weddings. “The wedding venues are designed to allow both rich and poor to share the same facilities. It should be viewed as an attempt to promote an egalitarian position, which ought to be lauded and not criticized,” community’s official spokesperson said.
Community members have also come up with an app to help volunteers in communicating if any issue arises during their ‘upliftment drive’.