Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi on Friday said there was no need for a political comment on the controversies surrounding the ban on women entering Maharashtra's Shani Shingnapur Temple and the Haji Ali Dargah. Gandhi said that society will itself settle the matter. However, Gandhi's fellow Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Babulal Gaur went on to make a rather controversial comment, saying that "women can worship at home".

On Tuesday, the police stopped around 350 members of the Bhumata Ranragini Brigade from entering the Shani Shingnapur Temple, which only allows men inside inner sanctum. The women sought Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ support to put an end to the gender bias. In addition, members of the Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan staged a protest at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan on Thursday, demanding women to be allowed to pray at the Haji Ali Dargah.