I represent an inclusive India: TMC MP Nusrat in response to Deoband clerics' fatwa

Issuing a statement on Twitter, Nusrat said: "I represent an inclusive India.. which is beyond the barriers of caste creed and religion.. as much as i respect all religions.. i still remain a muslim.. and non should comment on what i choose to wear.. faith is beyond attire.. and is more about believing and practicing the invaluable doctrines of all religions..." (sic)

What is the controversy?

Deoband clerics have issued a fatwa against Nusrat, who married businessman Nikhil Jain few days ago, stating that a Muslim woman should only marry a man belonging to the community.

Cleric Mufti Asad Wasmi  was quoted as saying by Times Now, “After investigation, we got to know that she married into the Jain religion, Islam says that a Muslim can only marry a Muslim. Second, I want to say that Nusrat Jahan is an actor and these actors do not care about religion. They do what they feel like doing. This is what she showcased in Parliament.”

“She came to Parliament with sindoor and mangalsutra, so it is a waste of time to talk about this. We cannot interfere in her life. I just told her what Shariat says with the help of media,” Wasmi added.

Nusrat finds support in BJP women leaders

BJP leader Sadhvi Prachi came out in Nusrat's defence and raised the issue of 'love jihad'.

“If a Muslim woman marries a Hindu and wears bindi, bicchwe, mangalsutra, the Muslim clerics call it haraam. I feel sorry for their intellect but many Muslim men trap our Hindu daughters in the name of love jihad and ask them to wear burqa, then that is not haram. That is justified for them," she was quoted as saying by Times Now.

One of the clerics, Maulana Qari, attacked the BJP leader for her remarks and told the news channel, “Sadhvi Prachi does not know anything about Ulema. Such women are not in control (belagaam), they try to set the country on fire. They give such statement and spew venom just to create headlines. They want to divide this nation. She does not have any knowledge of any religion. Islam is a religion that gives the message of love and peace. Who does not know anything should first read the Ulema and then speak about it.”

BJP MP from West Bengal's Raiganj, Debashree Chowdhury, also supported Nusrat stating, "This is India. Fatwa doesn't work here."

Mimi Chakraborty supports Nusrat's response to fatwa

Actress-turned TMC MP Mimi Chakraborty, who is known to be close to her colleague Nusrat, supported the latter's response to the fatwa.

"We r indian and thats our only identification proud indian nd will be Love u @nusratchirps" Mimi tweeted.

Nusrat was earlier trolled on internet for her attire

After winning the Lok Sabha polls, Nusrat and Mimi, both dressed in western, went to the parliament and clicked pictures. After the two shared the pictures on internet, several social media users jumped to troll them and also dictated them about the dresses they should wear in the parliament.

Nusrat and Vande Mataram issue

Nusrat recently ended her oath-taking speech in the Parliament by saying Vande Mataram, unlike Samajwadi Party MP Shafiqur Rahman Barq who refused to chant it by stating that it was against 'Islam'.

She also chanted phrases like 'Jai Hindi' and 'Jai Bangla'.

Like her other party members, Nusrat, dressed in saree, took oath in Bengali. Having acted in 16 films so far, she is one of the top contemporary actresses in the Bengali film industry, popularly known as Tollywood. 

Twenty-nine old Nusrat, who was picked up by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as a Lok Sabha candidate for the TMC, contested from West Bengal's Basirhat constituency and won by a margin of over three lakh votes.

After the Lok Sabha polls, Nusrat went to Turkey to marry Jain. The two got married at a private ceremony in Bodrum away from media glares.