Cleric slams, Sadhvi Prachi hails MP Nusrat Jahan for wearing sindoor, saree

Newly-elected TMC MP Nusrat Jahan's marriage with a Jain businessman and her wearing a sindoor and bangles became a subject matter of controversy on Saturday.

A city-based Muslim cleric criticised Jahan for marrying a Jain and wearing sindoor, calling the practices un-Islamic.

"Islam says a Muslim can marry only a Muslim. I have got to know that Nusrat is a film actor and people in the cinema do not care about religious practices. They do what they have to," said Mufti Asad Quasmi of Madrasa Jamia Sheikh-ul-Hind.

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He also questioned the parliamentarian's decision to marry a man belonging to Jainism. On the other hand, Sadhvi Prachi slammed the cleric for his statement and hailed the lawmaker, welcoming her into her "community".

"This is a good thing. A woman like Nusrat shall come into our community because their future is secure in our religion. She understands that the Hindu religion respects women," she told media in Muzaffarnagar.

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Calling the cleric "cut piece", she said: "These are cut pieces. Their thoughts are dirty. They only talk to hit the new headline."

Jahan was seen sporting 'sindoor' that is traditionally worn by Hindu and Jain women and pink and white saree during her oath-taking in Parliament on June 25. She also wore bangles and had her hands covered in beautiful curls and swirls of henna designs. The TMC lawmaker had touched the feet of Speaker Om Birla and sought his blessings.

She had skipped oath-taking for Lok Sabha members on June 17 and 18 owing to her wedding festivities in Turkey. Jahan took the political plunge this year and won from Basirhat parliamentary constituency. Ever since their candidature had been announced by the TMC, the Bengali actress was subjected to trolling and hatred on social media for having no political experience or credentials to contest polls.

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In May, Jahan and her actor friends Mimi Chakraborty faced backlash on social media over their choice of clothes for their first day in Parliament.