Khurshid Alam, Imam of Bareilly Jama Masjid
Reacting to the fatwa issued against her, Nida Khan, one of the triple talaq victims, said those issuing fatwa "should go to Pakistan".
"India is a democratic country. No one can ostracise me from Islam. Only Allah can decide who is guilty," she said.
A local cleric issued a fatwa against Ms Khan who had allegedly taken up issues like triple talaq and Nikah Halala. At a press conference, Imam Mufti Khurshid Alam on Monday said a fatwa has been issued against Nida Khan for speaking against Islam and its practices.
As per the fatwa, similar action will be taken against those helping and supporting Ms Khan, Alam said.
"No medicines will be provided if she falls ill. If she dies, no one is allowed to offer 'namaz' on her 'zanaja' (funeral procession). She cannot be buried in kabristan (graveyard) after her death," Alam said quoting the fatwa.
Ms Nida was married to Usman Raza Khan alias Anzu Miyan of Ala Hazrat family in 2015 but was given talaq in 2016. Since then, she has been fighting for rights of Muslim women.
Meanwhile, reacting to the entire episode BJP Delhi spokesperson Naveen Kumar on Tuesday said the entire incident is very saddening.
“If someone will raise question, you will ostracise that person. What kind of attitude is this?” Kumar questioned.
“On the one hand we are working for women empowerment and on the other hand some clerics are trying to drag them backward,” he added.
On Monday, Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said there is no practice more inhuman than triple talaq and claimed that Muslim women in Uttar Pradesh helped the BJP sweep the state polls after the passage of a law against the practice.
(With inputs from agencies)
