Love And Jihad Don't Go Hand-In-Hand, Says Trinamool MP Nusrat Jahan

Nusrat Jahan, Trinamool Congress MP, commented on the "love jihad" issue earlier today during a press conference in Kolkata, saying that marriage and love were personal choices and shouldn't be politicised. Jahan, who has had an interfaith marriage herself, condemned the issue, which has been gaining more steam than usual, ever since BJP leaders in several states have announced the possible introduction of a punishable law against "love jihad." Read more on that here.

"Love is very personal. Love and jihad don't go hand-in-hand. Just before polls, people come up with topics like this. It is a personal choice who you want to be with. Be in love and start falling in love with each other. Don't make religion a political tool," Jahan was quoted saying today.

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Nusrat Jahan, Past Communal Controversies

Jahan, an actor-turned-politician married to businessman Nikhil Jain, has found herself at the centre of communal controversies often. Recently, she took to her Instagram on the occasion of Mahalaya (September 17, 2020) during Durga Puja, and posted the image of herself dressed as Goddess Durga. The photos and videos had led to Jahan receiving death and rape threats, since being a Muslim woman, she was donning the persona of a Hindu goddess.

She has previously been vocal about growing communal tensions in India, through an open letter highlighting the issue in Parliament. She criticised the centre's selective silence and inaction against growing intolerance and cow vigilantes who attack people on the basis of rumours of eating beef and cow smuggling.

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Nusrat Jahan On Receiving Online Abuse

Jahan spoke about online abuse targeted at women and said, “Just because it is virtual, doesn’t mean it is not real. There has been a widespread increase in the spread of negativity. Online abuse towards women is on the rise,” TOI reported.

She further added, "Women will be judged on just about anything – cooking, wearing certain kinds of clothes, opinions, and for any generic activity. People giving rape and death threats online are ones with a sick mentality... I am concerned about this growing negativity in the online space but I do not pay much heed to such things. In real-life, I have dealt with stalkers and crazy fans so I know how to deal with all such people. My mantra is to ignore the negativity.”