Ghaziabad: A Hindutva leader harassed a Muslim man over his marriage to a Hindu woman, while hurling derogatory Islamophobic remarks at him.
Congress MP Syed Naseer Hussain, on Tuesday, June 30, shared a video on X, where the Hindutva leader was seen barging into the house of Shahid Ansari and his wife, Kusum.
After interrogating Shahid, the Hindutva leader, whose identity was not yet known, met with Shahid’s wife, Kusum, who covered her face at the leader’s request.
“Pata hai Mulla hai, phirbhi shaadi ki hai? Sharam nai aati? Ma baap ko pata hai? (You know he’s a Mullah, and you married him anyway? Aren’t you ashamed? Do your parents know?),” the Hindutva outfit’s leader continued asking Kusum.
They have been living together since their marriage two months ago, Kusum explained. Describing Shahid using religious slurs, including mullah and katmullah, during the course of questioning, the right-wing leader told his “followers” that Shahid has been living with Kusum in the Vijaynagar area without informing their respective parents or a contractual marriage.
However, both Kusum and Shahid claimed otherwise.
When allowed to talk, Shahid said, “We came here just two months ago after agreeing to get married. We are both doing separate jobs. Her parents have agreed to it.” The leader shouted over Shahid, refuting his statements, even as the couple repeatedly said their marriage was consensual.
“Hindu me shaadi karega? Mullah rehke? (You will marry a Hindu? while being a Mullah?),” said the Hindutva leader, while holding Shahid’s Aadhaar card.
Taking to X, MP Hussain alleged that under the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Uttar Pradesh, Hindutva extremists are emboldened to police the personal lives of citizens.
“Every adult has the fundamental right to choose whom they marry and how they live, free from fear, threats or harassment,” he said, questioning the authority claimed by such self-proclaimed vigilantes “to enter people’s homes and decide who Indian citizens can or cannot marry.”
When contacted, the Additional Commissioner of Police, Ghaziabad, Raj Karan Nayyar said he was unaware of such an incident taking place. He confirmed no citizen was allowed to barge into a citizen’s house and question their marriage or identity. Nayyar added he would review the footage.
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