Cleric slams TMC MP Nusrat Jahan for worshipping Goddess Durga, calls it `anti-Islamic`

Miffed over TMC MP Nusrat Jahan performing Durga puja, an Islamic cleric in Uttar Pradesh on Monday slammed Nusrat stressing that her action is "anti-Islamic". Accusing Nusrat of bringing disrepute to Islam, Mufti Asad Kasmi suggested the TMC lawmakers to change her name.

"Islam does not allow its followers to pray before any other God other than the almighty Allah. Nusrat Jahan has performed puja which is totally anti-Islamic. She is not practising Islam. She even married a non-Muslim. Since she does not believe in Islam, she should change her name. Why is she insulting the Islam?" Mufti Kazmi, vice-president of Itehaad Ulema-e-Hind, told ANI.

Mufti Kazmi remarked that Islam does not need those who have Muslim name but their actions defames the relgion. "The Islam does not need any person who bears an Islamic name but actually defames the Islam," he noted.

Talking to media after offering the puja, Nusrat said that she offered prayers to Goddess Durga in order to promote religious harmony. "I think I have my own way of portraying harmony towards all religions. Born and brought up in Bengal, I feel I am doing right by following culture and tradition. Here, we celebrate all the religious festivities," she said .

It may be recalled that Nusrat was slammed by Islamic clerics in June, 2019 when she tied the knot with a non-Muslim businessman, Nikhil Jain. Her husband, however, said that Nusrat's decision to offer puja is actually a positive message for India.