Trinamool Congress MP Nusrat Jahan has hit back at the Muslim hardliners for questioning her decision to marry a non-Muslim man and sporting sindoor and mangalsutra in the Lok Sabha. Jahan who tied the knot to businessman Nikhil Jain just a few days ago, took to Twitter to blast her critics, saying she represents an inclusive India which is beyond the barriers of caste, creed and religion.

Jahan is a first-time Lok Sabha MP. She won from Basirhat on a TMC ticket, defeating BJP’s Sayantan Basu by nearly 3.5 lakh votes. She skipped the oath-taking ceremony on June 17 and 18 due to her wedding in Turkey. She took oath as an MP of the Lok Sabha on June 25 along with her party colleague and actress Mimi Chakraborty who also attended the ceremony. Mim represents Jadhavpur constituency in the Lok Sabha.

As soon as the House met on June 25, the two actors-turned-politicians took oath in Bangla and ended it with phrases — ‘Vande Mataram’, ‘Jai Hindi’ and ‘Jai Bangla’. Jahan was spotted wearing the attire of a newlywed bride including sindoor, mangalsutra and bangles. After taking oath, Jahan and Mimi went up to Speaker Om Birla to touch his feet. This, however, didn’t go down well with the hardline Muslim clerics who criticised Jahan.

In her tweet, Jahan said, “I represent an inclusive India.. which is beyond the barriers of caste and 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 od all religions. Nusrat.”


“Paying heed or reacting to comments made by hardliners of any religion only breeds hatred and violence, and history bears testimony to that,” she added.

Her reaction came in the wake of a fatwa issued against her and a few Muslim hardliners calling her un-Islamic.

Kolkata-based Muslim cleric Mufti Asad Quasmi of Madrasa Jamia Sheikh-ul-Hind criticised Jahan for marrying a Jain and wearing sindoor and bangles. He called the practices against Islam.

Watch: Nusrat Jahan takes oath in the Lok Sabha

“According to Islam, 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,” the cleric had said.

Earlier, a Saharanpur-based cleric had criticised Jahan for her decision to marry a non-Muslim and wearing attire similar to a Jain bride.