¡®She¡¯s Insulting Islam¡¯: Muslim Cleric Lash Out At MP Nusrat Jahan For Celebrating Durga Puja

Trinamool Congress MP Nusrat Jahan faced backlash today from an Islamic cleric from Uttar Pradesh for celebrating Durga Puja. The cleric termed her ¡®actions¡¯ as ¡°anti-Islamic¡± and said, ¡°Nusrat Jahan has performed puja which is totally anti-Islamic. She is not practising Islam.¡±

He even demanded that she change her name because she married Nikhil Jain, a Hindu businessman.

"Islam does not allow its followers to pray before any other God other than the almighty Allah. Nusrat Jahan has performed puja which is totally anti-Islamic," Mufti Asad Kasmi, Vice President of the Itehaas Ulema-e-Hind, told news agency ANI.

ANI

"She is not practising Islam. She even married a non-Muslim. Since she does not believe in the Islam, she should change her name. Why is she insulting the Islam?" he demanded to know.

Twenty-nine-year-old Nusrat Jahan is a first-time parliamentarian who won the Basirhat Lok Sabha seat during national elections in April-May. She was praised on social media after she and her husband offered Durga Puja prayers at Suruchi Sangha Pandal in the Bengal capital.

She also participated in playing the 'dhaak', a traditional Bengali drum associated with Durga Puja celebrations.

#WATCH Kolkata: Trinamool Congress MP Nusrat Jahan dances as husband Nikhil Jain plays the 'dhak' at Suruchi Sangha. #DurgaPuja2019 pic.twitter.com/QIZWJSmx30

¡ª ANI (@ANI) October 6, 2019

A video of the couple was posted on Nikhil Jain's Instagram account, along with the message: "Playing dhaak for the first time with my wonderful wifastic @nusratchirps".

Speaking to reporters, Nusrat said, ¡°"I think I have my own way of portraying harmony towards all religions. Born and brought up in Bengal, I feel I am doing right by following culture and tradition. Here, we celebrate all the religious festivities.¡±

Her husband also supported her saying, ¡° "I think every citizen of India, irrespective of their religious identity should accept all religions.¡±

PTI

"Islam does not bar her from wearing these things.... there is no problem. If any follower of Islam wants to convert to another religion, they can do so, but nobody can be thrown out of Islam," he told a TV channel.

Jahan was trolled by several Muslim clerics for taking oath as MP on June 25 while wearing a saree and sporting sindur and mangalsutra, with Qasmi and some others calling it un-Islamic.