An Islamic cleric physically assaults woman panelist during live TV debate on Triple Talaq

An Islamic scholar, Mufti Ejaz Arshad Qasmi, physically assaulted a woman panelist, Farah Faiz, during a live TV debate on triple talaq bill. Farah Faiz is an advocate in Supreme Court and is fighting a case against Triple Talaq. Maulana has been strongly in favour of triple talaq. With this despicable assault on a woman, people like Maulana Ejaz prove that they cannot tolerate strong and independent women and that’s why he had gone to the extent of beating a woman on live TV debate only because she is fighting to put an end to an outdated, cruel and misogynist practice like triple talaq.

https://twitter.com/Imamofpeace/status/1019421485654372352

Maulana misbehaved not just with Farah Faiz but also with the other woman panelist, Amber Zaidi. At the beginning of the show, he used derogatory words against her family. His despicable behavior did not stop here as he then physically assaulted Farah Faiz.

After the incident, the advocate said, “He (Qasmi) used obnoxious words for me on air. I protested it and raised my hand. Soon he started getting violent. He also threw glasses of water that were kept on the table for us. Yaseer (another panellist) grabbed it. He (Qasmi) kept trying to beat me even after that.” She has also filed a police complaint against him.

Maulana Ejaz Arshad Qasmi is a member of All India Personal Law Board (AIPLB) and former spokesperson of Darul Uloom Deoband, which is infamous for issuing ridiculous fatwas like CCTV cameras and dancing and music being un-Islamic.

After the shameful and disgusting act of Maulana, news channel Zee Hindustan called the police and the Maulana was arrested. The channel has also condemned the shameful incident.

The maulanas and fanatics who oppose pro-Muslim women reforms should be strictly punished and must be thrown behind the bars. Such people have no place in a civilized society. Few people like Aamir Haider Zaidi of CPI came in support of the Maulana who assaulted Farah Faiz. Zaidi accused that the channel has portrayed the Maulana as a villain.

Feminists, liberals-leftist, placard activists etc are all silent on this shameless beating of a woman on live TV debate. There is no outrage from their side, and considering their glorious track record, it will be worthless to expect anything from them. They are instead latching on the beating of their blue-eyed boy Swami Agnivesh because he is anti-Hindu, anti-nationalist and pro-naxal.

Muslim women suffer indignities because of practices like triple talaq, Nikah-halala, polygamy and female genital mutilation. When a Muslim woman comes out against these barbaric practices she is threatened, ostracized and beaten on live TV debate. Even the media does not raise such issues with passion and zeal. The media should raise these issues more seriously. Such treacherous and misogynist practices have no place in the modern world. We cannot afford to live in barbaric times with archaic laws. For the sake of women’s rights, human rights and the dignity of Indians, such anachronistic laws cannot be left to operate within a secular and progressive nation. 

Additionally, the ongoing social media trend #TalktoAMuslim suggests that one should be open to dialogue with people of other faith to know about their side of the story. However, if this is the kind of reaction one gets by engaging with a Maulana, the reluctance of people to initiate a dialogue with such people is very well understandable.